SECRET
FM HONG KONG
SECRET
423
047162 MDHIAN 6685
HK B
243 la
TOP COPY Q DIST?
TO DESKBY 29130OZ FCO
TELNO 3934
OF 291125Z NOVEMBER 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE HANOI
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1. OUR REPATRIATION PLANS CONTINUE TO BE THE SUBJECT OF INTENSE PRESS INTEREST AND SPECULATION. OVER THE PAST FOUR DAYS A GREAT DEAL OF DETAIL HAS APPEARED IN NEWS REPORTS, MUCH OF IT QUOTING BRITISH OR VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS. THE MAIN FOCUS OF SPECULATION IS NOW THE DATE FOR THE OPERATION ITSELF AND WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT EVEN THIS INFORMATION WILL REACH THE PRESS IF THE VIETNAMESE CONTINUE TO KEEP UNHCR ABREAST OF DEVELOPMENTS.
2. REPORTS REACHING HONG KONG THIS MORNING (29 NOVEMBER) QUOTE HMA HANOI AS SAYING THAT THE FIRST GROUP WOULD RETURN BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND THAT IT WOULD COMPRISE FEWER THAN 100 PEOPLE. AN OFFICIAL IN LONDON IS QUOTED AS CONFIRMING THAT THE FIRST EXERCISE WOULD TAKE PLACE BY AIRCRAFT. THIS SOURCE IS REPORTED TO HAVE ADDED THAT QUOTE SHIPLOADS WOULD COME LATER ONCE THE VIETNAMESE ARE IN A POSITION TO ACCEPT LARGER NUMBERS UNQUOTE.
3. TAKEN TOGETHER THE VARIOUS PRESS COMMENTS OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE INEVITABLY MADE OUR TASK MORE DIFFICULT. TENSION IN THE CAMPS HAS INCREASED WITH PROTEST ACTIONS AT CHI MA WAN AND WHITEHEAD. THE 62 PEOPLE AT PHOENIX HOUSE ARE REFUSING TO TAKE FOOD AND HAVE BECOME CONSIDERABLY MORE MILITANT OVER RECENT DAYS. PHOENIX HOUSE HAS NOW BECOME THE FOCUS OF INTENSE PRESS INTEREST. SOME LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND TV COMPANIES HAVE APPARENTLY ASSIGNED PEOPLE TO KEEP THE BUILDING UNDER ROUND THE CLOCK OBSERVATION.
4. OUR AIM HAD BEEN TO CARRY OUT THE REPATRIATION OPERATION WITH AS MUCH DISCRETION AND CONFIDENTIALITY AS POSSIBLE. PUBLICLY THUS FAR WILL MAKE THE ACTUAL OPERATION A GOOD DEAL MORE DIFFICULT.
5. WE ARE KEEPING TO THE PRESS LINE SET OUT IN TELNO 3876. I REALISE THAT ALL CONCERNED IN VARIOUS CAPITALS ARE UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE FROM JOURNALISTS AS THEY TRY TO PRESS FOR ENOUGH SMALL PIECES OF INFORMATION TO MAKE UP THE COMPLETE JIGSAW. NEVERTHELESS,
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