TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 211

CONFIDENTIAL

124

MDHOAN 4952

OF THE NGOS INVOLVED WITH REFUGEES AND WITH THE MEDIA (OUTSIDE OF

HONG KONG) IT IS CLEARLY IMPORTANT TO GET THE DETAILS RIGHT, AND TO PLAN THE PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS CAREFULLY.

3.

FOR ALL THESE REASONS IT IS NOW ENVISAGED THAT THE FIRST

REPATRIATION WILL NOT TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

CURRENT PLANNING IS FOR THE FLIGHT TO DEPART AT 18223OZ JULY I.E.

0630 HONG KONG LOCAL TIME ON 19 JULY BUT THIS WILL DEPEND ON OUR

FINALLY REACHING AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE.

4.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HOPE TO AVOID ADVANCE PUBLICITY AND

PLANS TO KEEP THE DETAILS SECRET UNTIL AFTER THE REPATRIATION HAS

TAKEN PLACE. THEY WILL THEN MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. WE HAVE

SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT WITNESS WHO COULD CONFIRM THAT NO FORCE WAS USED. THE HKG ARE

CONSIDERING AN NGO REPRESENTATIVE FOR THIS ROLE. PHOTOGRAPHS

WILL ALSO BE TAKEN FOR MEDIA USE.

5.

WE PLAN TO BRIEF ICG AND ASEAN MEMBERS SHORTLY BEFORE

REPATRIATION BEGINS AND THE MEDIA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE

OPERATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED. IN VIEW OF THE US LOBBYING CAMPAIGN, HOWEVER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE MIGHT WISH TO PREPARE THE GROUND IN CONTACTS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THESE

COUNTRIES IN PARIS. AN AGREED LINE TO TAKE IS CONTAINED IN HONG

KONG TELNO 2375, NOW REPEATED DESKBY 14193OZ TO YOU CAND OTHERS). 6.

DESPITE OUR EFFORTS TO BRING THEM ROUND, THE US GOVERNMENT IS CONTINUING TO WHIP UP SUPPORT TO PREVENT US FROM SENDING NON-VOLUNTEERS BACK TO VIETNAM. MOST RECENTLY WE KNOW THEY HAVE

PUT PRESSURE ON THE CANADIANS (OTTAWA TELNO 514) AND ON THE

JAPANESE. WE HAVE URGED THE AMERICANS NOT TO DENOUNCE ANY

AGREEMENT WE REACH WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT. THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY DO NOT INTEND TO INITIATE A PUBLIC STATEMENT, BUT THEY HAVE PREPARED A PRESS-LINE ON A CONTINGENCY BASIS. DESPITE

THEIR ASSURANCES IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THEY WILL DELIBERATELY

LEAK NEWS OF OUR PLANS.

7.

EAGLEBURGER WARNED THE DEFENCE SECRETARY IN WASHINGTON ON 13

JULY THAT WE WERE HEADING FOR CONFRONTATION (WASHINGTON TELNO

1894 TO FCO (NOT TO ALL)).

US DEPORTATIONS TO HAITI

8.

AS OF APRIL 1989, 20,421 HAITIANS HAD BEEN INTERDICTED BY THE US COASTGUARD AND SUMMARILY SCREENED ON BOARD. OF THESE ONLY 6

HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE US TO UNDERGO ASYLUM HEARINGS (AFTER

WHICH THEY COULD STILL BE DEPORTED TO HAITI IF THEIR APPLICATION FOR ASYLUM FAIL). NUMBERS FROM HAITI INTERDICTED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ARE: 1987 3541, 1988 4712, BEYOND APRIL 1989 · 2373.

2

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL