SECRET
394
024404
MDHIAN 5582
SECRET
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 627
OF 22050OZ NOVEMBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
HKB
243 19
TOP Q LIST ?
OPY
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA AND WASHINGTON
CHONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)
391
MY TELNO 626 AND HONG KONG TELNO MISC 857 TO HANOI (NEITHER TO ALL):
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1 I HAD A MEETING LATE YESTERDAY WITH MR LEH THO, CONSULAR DEPT, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND MR NGUYEN CAN, MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR, TO DISCUSS THE MODALITIES OF THE FIRST FLIGHT. THE MOST IMPORTANT URGENT THING TO ARISE WAS THAT THEY SEE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES IN THE DATE PROPOSED AND WOULD LIKE THE FIRST FLIGHT TO TAKE PLACE IN THE PERIOD 10-15 DECEMBER: THEY SPECIFICALLY SUGGESTED 14 DECEMBER AS A DATE WHICH HAD TENTATIVELY BEEN EARMARKED FOR A VOLUNTEER FLIGHT. I WENT OVER THE GROUND WITH THEM, EMPHASISING THE DIFFICULTY OF FINDING AIRCRAFT BUT PROMISED TO SEEK YOUR VIEWS.
2. WE HAVE TO DECIDE IMMEDIATELY WHETHER TO SEEK AND IN THE END QUITE POSSIBLY FAIL TO ACHIEVE AGREEMENT ON AN EARLIER DATE OR TO GO SNAP ON THE 14TH. SUBJECT OF COURSE TO WIDER CONSIDERATIONS, MY STRONG ADVICE WOULD BE TO GO FOR WHAT IS ON OFFER.
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3. BOTH THO AND CAN WERE CONCERNED TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY AND, AFTER THE EVENT, TO SAY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE PUBLICLY. I SAID THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT OF AN AGREEMENT, THAT WE HAD SENT PEOPLE BACK AND THAT THEY WERE 'NON-VOLUNTEERS'' (OTHERWISE THEY WOULD HAVE RETURNED UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES). THEY ACCEPTED THESE POINTS BUT SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD WORK OUT A FORM OF WORDS FOR USE BY BOTH SIDES. YOU AND HONG KONG MAY CARE TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS.
4. BOTH INSISTED THAT A SPECIFIC LIST OF THOSE RETURNING ON THE FIRST FLIGHT WAS NECESSARY FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, AND THEY WISH TO HAVE TWO PHOTOGRAPHS OF EACH RETURNEE. I ASSUME YOU WILL HAVE NO DIFFICULTY IN MEETING THIS MINOR REQUIREMENT.
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