TNAG-1907-FCO40-2711-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 114

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB

243 19

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 2114

OF 17173OZ OCTOBER 89

TOY COPY

Q DIST ?

INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA

3115

064555 MDHOAN 5688

PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION

1. IN THE COURSE OF A CALL ON ME TODAY TO INTRODUCE HOWARD PERLOW (COUNTRY OFFICER FOR THE UK AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT), ROSS RODGERS OF THE US EMBASSY HERE LOBBIED HARD AND IN FAMILIAR TERMS AGAINST MANDATORY REPATRIATION. THE MAIN THRUST WAS THAT MORE TIME WAS NEEDED TO MAKE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WORK AND THAT THE

TIME WAS NOT RIGHT TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE MEASURES. HE STRESSED

THAT THE US WAS READY TO MAKE A MAJOR NEW EFFORT TO MAKE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WORK BETTER.

2.

I WAS ABLE TO DEAL WITH THESE POINTS WITHOUT MUCH DIFFICULTY. BUT I WAS SURPRISED BY ONE THING WHICH RODGERS SAID. HE CLAIMED THAT, ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN CONSUL GENERAL IN HONG KONG, HKG OFFICIALS CONCERNED AT WORKING LEVEL WITH THE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM HAD TOLD THEM THAT IN THEIR VIEW THERE WAS NO WAY IN WHICH MANDATORY REPATRIATION COULD BE MADE TO WORK IN PRACTICE. THIS HAD REINFORCED THE AMERICAN VIEW THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WAS THE ONLY VIABLE WAY FORWARD

3. I AM PUZZLED BY THIS. IT MAY WELL BE THAT THE AMERICANS HAVE DELIBERATELY READ MUCH MORE THAN THEY SHOULD

INTO REMARKS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MADE

TO THEM. OR PERHAPS THEY SIMPLY GOT THE WRONG END OF THE STICK. BUT THE FACT REMAINS THAT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THEY HAVE THE CLEAR IMPRESSION THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE WOULD NOT IMPLEMENT MANDATORY REPATRATION. THAT CAN ONLY SERVE TO UNDERMINE OUR NEGOTIATING POSITION IN GENEVA.

4 GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

MAJOR

YYYY

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