TNAG-1906-FCO40-2710-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 88

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FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2751

OF 17090OZ AUGUST 89

AND TO IMMEDIATE HANOI

HKE

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INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS, WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, JAKARTA, MANILA INFO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, OTTAWA INFO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA

YOUR TELNO 1720 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION OF VOLUNTEERS

A GROUP OF 121 VOLUNTEERS LEFT HONG KONG AT 13:00 HOURS (LOCAL TIME) TODAY ON A DRAGONAIR CHARTER FLIGHT (BOEING 737) TO HANOI. THIS IS THE THIRD AND LARGEST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS TO LEAVE HONG KONG AND IT BRINGS THE TOTAL OF VOLUNTARY RETURNS TO 264. UNHCR AND ICM OFFICIALS HAVE ACCOMPANIED THE VOLUNTEERS ON THE FLIGHT WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE IN HANOI AT 13:25 HOURS LOCAL TIME.

2. WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PRESS TO VISIT LO WU CAMP TWO DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE AND FACILITIES WERE PROVIDED AT THE AIRPORT TODAY. THERE IS STILL CONSIDERABLE INTEREST ALTHOUGH SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN FOR THE FIRST FLIGHT.

FORD

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109

DISTRIBUTION

116

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PUSD

ECD (E)

FED

NAD

FINANCE D

RMD

PS

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PS/MR MAUDE

PS/MR SAINSBURY

PS/LORD BRABAZON

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR SLATER

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