CONFIDENTIAL
FM PARIS
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1026
OF 011546ZAUGUST 8
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
24319
FROM GILLMORE AND COLVIN
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG
TOP COPY KODIST ?
OPY
172
172417
MDHIAN 5313
HANOI TELNO 401 TO FCO: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1. WE AGREE THAT ON BALANCE IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO FINALISE THE TEXT OF THE AGREED MINUTE, WHICH INDEED NOW APPEARS TO BE THE POSITION. A FORMAL WAY OF DOING THIS MIGHT BE FOR THE TEXT TO BE INITIALED WITH FINAL SIGNATURE TAKING PLACE SHORTLY BEFORE THE FIRST
REPATRIATION.
2. WE HAD A BRIEF WORD ABOUT THE POSITION WAS HAVE NOW REACHED WITH FOREIGH MINISTER THACH IN THE MARGINS OF THE CONFERENCE THIS MORNING. HE AGREED THAT WE SHOULD SETTLE THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT NOW AND THAT IT MIGHT BE SENSIBLE TO DELAY SIGNATURE UNTIL ONLY A DAY OR SO BEFORE THE FIRST BATCH OF RETURNEES. IN THE MEANTIME HE AGREED WITH OUR SUGGESTION THAT BOTH SIDES SHOULD TAKE THE LINE IN PUBLIC THAT EXCHANGES WENT ON AND WE CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS.
3. THACH WANTED TO KNOW WHY THERE HAD BEEN NO FIRST REPATRIATION AND WAS CLEARLY SUSPICIOUS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE CHANGED OUR MINDS.
AFTER GILLMORE EXPLAINED THAT WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THE FIRST SELECTION WOULD BE GENUINELY ACQUIESCENT AND THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE FIRST REPATRIATION WENT OFF SMOOTLY, THACH SAID THAT HE FULLY UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED THE POSITION.
4. THACH ALSO WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE HAD LEAKED NEWS ABOUT OUR UNDERSTANDING TO THE PRESS. (EARLIER HE HAD TOLD COLVIN THAT HE HAD SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED INSTRUCTING HIS OFFICALS TO ISSUE A FORMAL DEMENTI THAT WE HAD AGREED ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION). WE EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD LEAKED NOTHING. BUT THE PRESS IN THE UK AND
HONG KONG HAD INEVITABLY MANAGED TO PIECE TOGETHER MUCH OF THE STORY FROM THEIR OWN SOURCES. HE SEEMED TO ACCEPT THIS EXPLANATION.
FERGUSSON
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CONFIDENTIAL
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