TNAG-1909-FCO40-2713-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 133

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(D) THE AIRPORT WOULD BE CLEARED OF NON-ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL AND THE VIEWING PLATFORM CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.

(E) THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR WOULD MAKE A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE WHOLE OPERATION FOR INTERNALEUSE ONLY.

(F) THERE WOULD BE ONLY ONE POLICEMAN AND ONLY ONE POLICEWOMAN ON THE APRON TO RECEIVE THE RETURNEES.

(G) HE THOUGHT I MIGHT WISH TO BOARD THE AIRCRAFT FIRST TO DISCUSS THE MODALITIES WITH WHOEVER WAS IN CHARGE.

4. I ASSURED THE VIETNAMESE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ARMY PERSONNEL ON BOARD. I SAID THAT THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE POLICEMEN IF ONLY BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENCE WHICH HAD OCCURRED IN THE CAMP BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND VIOLENT ATTEMPTS BY SOME VIETNAMESE TO PREVENT OTHERS RETURNING TO VIETNAM. I PROFESSED IGNORANCE OF PRECISE NUMBERS

BUT PROMISED TO CONFIRM THEM.

5. ON PUBLICITY I EXPLAINED WHY THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE PUBLICITY AFTER THE EVENT. THEY RELUCTANTLY AGREED. I SAID THAT MINISTERS WOULD NO DOUBT WISH TO CONFIRM THAT A RETURN HAD TAKEN PLACE, THAT THE OPERATION HAD GONE SMOOTHLY, THAT THE VIETNAMESE AUTHOR- ITIES HAD COOPERATED FULLY IN THE SPIRIT OF THE AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS, AND THAT EMBASSY STAFF HAD WITNESSED THE ARRIVAL AND WOULD BE VISITING THE TRANSIT CAMP ON THE DAY FOLLOW- ING THE RETURN. THE VIETNAMESE EMPHASIZED SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE MUST IN ANY OFFICIAL STATEMENTS AVOID THE USE OF THE WORD FORCED OR FORCIBLE. I SAID THAT MINISTERS WOULD NO DOUBT WISH TO USE THE WORD MANDATORY WHICH DID NOT NECESSARILY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE USE OF PHYSICAL FORCE. THIS SEEMED TO BE ACCEPTABLE.

6. I DID NOT COMMIT MYSELF TO BOARDING THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE EXIT OF THE RETURNEES: THIS MAY OR MAY NOT TURN OUT TO BE A GOOD IDEA.

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IN THE LIGHT OF THIS AND EARLIER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE

I REMAIN CONVINCED THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO TURN A BLIND EYE

TO GENTLE PERSUATION AND TO BE FINESSED TO SOME DEGREE. HOWEVER

I SEE NO PROSPECT THAT THEY CAN AGREE TO THE NUMBER OF POLICEMEN YOU ARE PROPOSING. I DOUBT IF THERE IS MUCH POINT IN TALKING TO THE VIETNAMESE ABOUT EVEN AS MUCH AS ONE POLICEMAN PER RETURNEE.

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