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047145 MDHOAN 3972
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FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HANOI
TELNO 43
OF 01163OZ FEBRUARY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
(30)
YOUR TELNO 47: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG 1. WE ARE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED BY WHAT LOOKS LIKE CALCULATED PREVARICATION BY THE VIETNAMESE. VU KHOAN AGREED IN LONDON AT THE SECOND ROUND OF TALKS LAST AUGUST THAT OUR COMMON OBJECTIVE WAS THE RETURN OF THE FIRST GROUP BY THE END OF 1988. VU KHOAN WAS REMINDED OF, AND CONFIRMED, THIS OBJECTIVE WHEN COLVIN SAW HIM IN GENEVA IN DECEMBER (UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 748) WHEN HE ALSO SPOKE CONFIDENTLY ABOUT COMPLETING THE VIETNAMESE/UK MOU WITHIN A FEW DAYS. THEN WE LEARNED BY ROUNDABOUT MEANS THAT THE VIETNAMESE SIDE AIMED TO ACCEPT THE FIRST GROUP OF RETURNEES BEFORE TET (BANGKOK TELNO 12). THERE IS NOW LITTLE PROSPECT OF
MEETING THIS DEADLINE EITHER.
2. WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT INEFFICIENCY. STAFF CHANGES AND PREOCCUPATION WITH OTHER ISSUES, INCLUDING CAMBODIA, ARE CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS. BUT THE ENDLESS DELAY IS BECOMING IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND OR JUSTIFY.
3. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD SEEK AN EARLY MEETING WITH VU KHOAN IN ORDER TO STRESS, ON INSTRUCTIONS, THE IMPORTANCE WHICH WE ATTACH TO AN EARLY START BEING MADE ON THE REPATRIATION PROGRAMME. YOU SHOULD POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE GONE OUT OF OUR WAY TO MEET ALL THEIR REQUESTS, MOST RECENTLY FOR A BILATERAL MOU (FOR WHICH THERE IS NO OBVIOUS NEED) AND THAT THE AGREED TARGET HAS ALREADY SLIPPED BY OVER A MONTH. PLEASE ALSO EMPHASISE THAT BOTH SIDES HAVE A CLEAR INTEREST IN GETTING THE PROGRAMME GOING QUICKLY AS A MEANS OF DETERRING FURTHER CLANDESTINE DEPARTURES AND ENCOURAGING MORE VOLUNTEERS. YOU MIGHT ADD THAT DELAYS ON THE VIETNAMESE SIDE ARE BEGINNING TO PUT AT RISK THE GOODWILL AND INTERNATIONAL CREDIBILITY WHICH THEY GAINED BY AGREEING TO DISCUSS REPATRIATION AND ACCEPTING THAT A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION IS NECESSARY. THERE ARE IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS COMING UP IN KUALA LUMPUR AND GENEVA. IF NOTHING EFFECTIVE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY THEN, WE WILL HAVE LITTLE OPTION BUT TO EXPLAIN CLEARLY WHERE WE REGARD
THE RESPONSIBILITY AS LYING.
HOWE
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