RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2962
OF 08070OZ SEPTEMBER 89
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HANOI
RESTRICTED
HKB
24319
(252
115730
MDHIAN 4804
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
11/5
POSSIBLE SINO-VIETNAMESE AGREEMENT FOR REPATRIATION OF
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1. WE HAVE SEEN AN ARTICLE BY HELLA PICK IN THE GUARDIAN OF 7 SEPTEMBER REPORTING THAT CHINA HAS REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM UNDER WHICH VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ON THEIR WAY TO HONG KONG WOULD BE RETURNED BY THE CHINESE TO VIETNAM.
2. WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE HERE TO BACK UP THE STORY OF SUCH A SINO-VIETNAMESE AGREEMENT. NCNA HAVE TOLD US THAT 5,000 VIETNAMESE WHO HAD ENTERED CHINA EITHER BY LAND OR SEA HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO VIETNAM IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS COUR TELNO 2844, NOT TO ALL). BUT THEY ADDED THAT THERE HAD BEEN DIFFICULTIES IN THIS PROCESS WHEN THE SINO-VIETNAMESE LAND BORDER WAS CLOSED FROM TIME TO TIME. INDEED JI SHAOXIANG TOLD EHRMAN OF ONE CASE IN WHICH A LARGE GROUP WHOM THE CHINESE WERE TRYING TO RETURN WERE FORCED FROM ONE SIDE OF A RIVER ON THE BORDER TO ANOTHER FOR THREE DAYS BY THE TWO SIDES BEFORE THEY WERE FINALLY ACCEPTED IN VIETNAM. THIS CERTAINLY DOES NOT SUGGEST THE EXISTENCE OF ANY FORMAL AGREEMENT.
3. GRATEFUL FOR ANY BACKGROUND WHICH YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OBTAIN ON HELLA PICK'S STORY AND FOR ANY INFORMATION WHICH PEKING OR HANOI MIGHT HAVE.
WILSON
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