TNAG-1907-FCO40-2711-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 19

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Mr Paul

Roy lay Miss Marsden Mr Stone ~ 1/11 Mr Hasysendiy

Hong Kong Department

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From: Date:

CC:

V.B.P. REPATRIATION: THE KIMMITT VISIT

DA Burns

1 November 1989 Hd/SEAD

Mr Beamish

Mr McLaren

Mr Gillmore PS/PUS

PS/Mr Sainsbury

363

spoken Bob Pierce He is Not criprended

1. I note from Hong Kong telno 3624 that the Governor recommends that we proceed with planning for a repatriation operation on 16 November. He rightly draws attention to the timing of the Prime Minister's visit to Washington (23-25 November).

2. In case it has escaped attention, I should point out that the PUS has invited Mr Robert Kimmitt (US Under- Secretary for Political Affairs) to be in London for talks on Monday 13 November. Mr Kimmitt will base himself in London for the duration of that week, making side trips to Paris, Bonn and Brussels on the Tuesday and Wednesday. On 16 November itself, the US Ambassador is hosting a lunch in his honour to which Mr Waldegrave and Mr Sainsbury have been invited (the former can attend the latter cannot) along with top FCO officials. On 17 November, the PUS and Lady Wright are taking Mr and Mrs Kimmitt and the US Ambassador to see 'Phantom of the Opera' and then dining them.

3. While I realise the difficulty of finding a window of opportunity for the repatriation exercise, I would strongly recommend that it should not take place while Mr Kimmitt is in London. He would see it as a deliberate snub, unless he were forewarned on 13 November and had the opportunity to decide whether or not to cancel his engagements in London on 16 and 17 November. I strongly doubt that he would want to be in London on the day that the repatriation took place.

DB1AKI

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David Bury.

DA Burns

North America Department