TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 174

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 243 la

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 19010OZ HANOI

TELNO 253

OF 18160OZ JULY 89

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

M

133

133265 MDHOAN 5143

TOP COPY

Q DIST ?

124

YOUR TELNO 374 AND HONG KONG'S TELNO 2405 AND MIS 497 TO YOU:

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION

1.

YOU SHOULD NOT (NOT) FOR THE MOMENT GO FURTHER THAN USD 620

IN YOUR TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE. IF THAT FAILS TO CLINCH AGREEMENT, WE AGREE THAT THE MARGINS OF THE BANGKOK STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING MIGHT BE THE RIGHT PLACE TO TAKE THIS FURTHER WITH THE VIETNAMESE. WE WILL CONSIDER HONG KONG'S SUGGESTION THAT WE SHOULD, IF NECESSARY, GO TO USD 650 WHEN WE KNOW HOW YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE WENT.

2.

MEANWHILE, MCLAREN SUMMONED THE VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR TODAY AND URGED RAPID AGREEMENT ON THE LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE. HE SAID THAT IT WAS ODD THAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING ANYTHING AT ALL TO

ANOTHER GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT BACK ITS OWN CITIZENS. BUT IN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE WERE PREPARED EXCEPTIONALLY TO DO SO IN THIS CASE. HUNG REPLIED THAT, AS OF YESTERDAY, THE DOCUMENTATION ON THE 26 WHICH WE HAD PROMISED HAD STILL NOT

ARRIVED. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT BOTH SIDES HAD TRIED HARD TO REACH AGREEMENT ON THE MONEY AND HE THOUGHT THAT A LITTLE MORE

FLEXIBILITY ON BOTH SIDES WOULD SEE AGREEMENT. MCLAREN HINTED THAT WE MIGHT BE PREPARED TO MAKE ONE FURTHER SMALL STEP BUT THAT

WOULD BE POSITIVELY THE LAST. THE PROGRAMME WOULD EVENTUALLY

INVOLVE THOUSANDS OF RETURNEES AND WE

WOULD HAVE TO JUSTIFY THE EXPENDITURE IN DETAIL TO THE TREASURY.

HUNG AGREED TO REPORT OUR VIEWS TO HANOI AND TO URGE A

REASSESSMENT OF WHERE NEGOTIATION WAS LEADING AT THE POLITICAL

(AS OPPOSED TO THE TECHNICAL MINISTRY OF LABOUR) LEVEL.

HOWE

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL