TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 255

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CONFIDENTIAL

५१

122242 MDHOAN 4921

HKB 243/9

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 14010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 1505

OF 13200OZ JULY 89

AND TO DESKBY 14010OZ HANOI

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MCLAREN

HANOI TELNO 356 AND YOUR TELNO 2357: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:

REPATRIATION: PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS

1. WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING HOW BEST TO MANAGE THE PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE REPATRIATION OF THE FIRST GROUP OF NON-VOLUNTEERS. WE SHALL NEED TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN

TO PREEMPT CRITICISM FROM THE BRITISH AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, AND FROM THE AMERICANS AND UNHCR.

THE REPATRIATION OF UP TO 35,000 PEOPLE WILL BE A LONG PROCESS IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT IT SHOULD GET OFF TO THE BEST POSSIBLE START.

2.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW PRECISELY WHAT LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS

ARE ENVISAGED FOR THE REPATRIATION.

WE ASSUME FROM YOUR TELNO 2351 THAT THE 23

INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED WILL BE TAKEN BY COACH DIRECTLY TO THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT PASSING THROUGH THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING, AND THAT THERE WILL BE NO MEDIA

ACCESS BEFORE OR DURING THE BOARDING OF THE AIRCRAFT. IS IT

LIKELY TO BE PRACTICABLE TO PREVENT THE ARRANGEMENTS LEAKING.

BEFORE THE DEPARTURE OF THE AIRCRAFT?

3. IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO AVOID GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HAVE

ANYTHING TO

HIDE IN THE PROCESS UNDER WHICH PEOPLE ARE BEING SENT BACK.

THERE WOULD BE GREAT ADVANTAGE IN OUR SUBSEQUENT DEALINGS WITH THE MEDIA IF WE COULD POINT TO AN INDEPENDENT WITNESS OF THE

DEPARTURE OR AT LEAST TO OUR WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW AN INDEPENDENT

WITNESS TO OBSERVE THE EVENT. WE SEE MERIT IN THE IDEA OF

INVITING THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE TO BE AT KAI TAK AT THE

APPROPRIATE TIME. EVEN IF HE WERE TO DECLINE WE WOULD BE ABLE

TO SAY THAT WE HAD MADE THE OFFER. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY WOULD BE TO

INVITE A SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE OF THE NGOS, IN PARTICULAR OXFAM OR THE SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND, WHO WE KNOW TO HAVE ACCEPTED THE LOGIC OF THE NEED FOR REPATRIATION.

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