CONFIDENTIAL
4. Clearly, pressure on us will mount from the time of the Steering
Committee Meeting in Geneva on 16/17 October. The media are waiting for that meeting and already asking for a briefing in advance (for which I shall need help from Head/SEAD). It will become apparent from reports at the time whether we have succeeded in persuading other countries that we are right to pursue mandatory rapatriation. It will not thereafter be possible, I judge, to conceal our intentions until the actual repatriation takes place.
5. The PUS has suggested that the Secretary of State should brief, journalists personally in advance. I am not in favour of this, for
the reasons set out in the attached game plan. Our best course is to keep the issue in as low a key as possible, and to present what we intend to do as no different from normal international practice.
6.
I must say however that I am not optimistic that we shall completely be able to avoid provoking stories in the second half of
October. The Secretary of State will be at CHOGM in Kuala Lumpur. All the lobby correspondetns and most of the diplomatic correspondents will be there too, desperate for a story. The South East Asian press and in particular the Hong Kong journalists will also be there looking for signs that we have been enlisting the Commonwealth's support for Hong Kong. I do not see how we shall be able to avoid leaving the press with the impression that mandatory repatriation will shortly be taking place or that this might involve
the use of at least some force, despite the wishes of Hanoi.
7.
We shall just have to watch the story as it develops.
Anders Ban
RA Burns
CONFIDENTIAL
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