TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 187

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB

24319

126

131605

MDHIAN 3586

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HANOI

TO DESKBY 18090OZ FCO

TELNO 374

OF 18080OZ JULY 89

AND TO DESKBY 18090OZ HONG KONG

YOUR TELNO 252 OF 17 JULY: VBP: REPARIATION:

1.

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

I AM SEEING MINISTRY OF LABOUR AT 1903OOZ TOMORROW

MORNING. GRATEFUL FOR HONG KONG'S VIEWS ON SUGGESTED LINE BY THEN.

2.

WE ARE INDEED IN A WEAK NEGOTIATING POSITION AND I SUSPECT

THAT THE VIETNAMESE WILL TRY AND FORCE US UP TO AS NEAR THEIR

CURRENT OFFER OF 679 DOLLARS AS POSSIBLE.

DESPITE WHAT WAS AT FIRST I AM SURE A GENUINE RESPONSE TO THACH'S INSTRUCTION TO GET THINGS MOVING, IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE NOW PREPARED TO PREVARICATE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THEIR ENDS. I NOW REGRET MOVING SO QUICKLY FROM 500-600 DOLLARS EXCLAMATION

3. THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR MAY NOW SURPRISE ME AND AGREE TO END THIS TEDIOUS PROCESS BY ACCEPTING 620 DOLLARS, BUT I DOUBT IT.

•

I FEAR THAT THEY WILL MOVE ONLY LITTLE BY LITTLE AND AIM TO FORCE

US UP TO AN EVEN HIGHER FIGURE. THE ARGUMENT IN YOUR TUR FOR SETTING

A LIMIT AT 620 DOLLARS ARE ESSENTIALLY THOSE I HAVE ALREADY

USED IN FAVOUR OF 600 DOLLARS. THE BLUFF AS IT WERE HAS ALREADY BEEN CALLED ONCE. IF THE VIETNAMESE DO NOT AGREE AT 620 DOLLARS WHAT DO WE DO THEN? IF YOU ARE CONTENT THAT I SIMPLY REPORT

HOEWEVER I WONDER WHETHER IT MIGHT BE BETTER

IN CASE OF FURTHER DEADLOCK TO BACK UP MY APPROACH WITH A MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THACH.

BACK THEN SO BE IT.

PARTRIDGE

YYYY

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