CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1076
OF 03120OZ APRIL 89
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HANOI
CONFIDENTIAL
129)
111131
MDHIAN 8986
нко MKD 24319
!
TOP COPY
MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: MANDATORY REPATRIATION
1 I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN PUSHING FOR A FIRM TIMETABLE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION, AS OUTLINED IN PARAGRAPH 3(C) OF YRTELNO 742. BUT, AS EXPLAINED IN MIPT, THERE ARE SERIOUS DANGERS IN DELAYING EFFECTIVE MEASURES FOR SO LONG THAT
WE HIT A MAJOR CRISIS IN HONG KONG.
2. THERE MAY BE AN APPROACH WHICH WOULD AVOID SOME OF THE OBJECTIONS TO AN AUTOMATIC TRIGGER PERIOD. THIS WOULD BE TO LINK THE RETURN OF BOAT PEOPLE TO VIETNAM MORE DIRECTLY TO THE RESUMPTION OF INTERNATIONAL AID. THAT IN TURN WOULD OF COURSE DEPEND ON THE VIETNAMESE CARRYING OUT, WITHOUT CONDITIONS, THEIR PROMISED WITHDRAWAL FROM CAMBODIA IN SEPTEMBER 1989.
3. I REALISE THAT SOME COUNTRIES, NOTABLY THE UNITED STATES, WOULD NOT BE READY TO CONSIDER ANY FORM OF AID TO VIETNAM WITHOUT WAITING A FAIR PERIOD TO MONITOR THE GENUINENESS OF THE WITHDRAWAL. NEVERTHELESS IT COULD WELL BE THE CASE THAT SOME GROUPS, SUCH AS SOME OF THE EUROPEANS, THE AUSTRALIANS AND JAPANESE WOULD BE PREPARED TO START A PHASED PROGRAMME OF AID QUITE EARLY ON IN ORDER TO
ENCOURAGE THE VIETNAMESE TO CONTINUE TO BEHAVE BETTER.
THE RESUMPTION OF AID COULD ALSO BE LINKED TO VIETNAM'S READINESS TO RECEIVE BACK VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FROM THE REGION.
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4 I REALISE THAT THE CAMBODIAN CONNECTION AND THE GENERAL RESUMPTION OF AID MAY NOT BE MATTERS WHICH CAN BE DISCUSSED DIRECTLY IN THE GENEVA CONFERENCE. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY HMG HAS
AVOIDED PLAYING TOO PROMINENT A ROLE OVER CAMBODIA. NEVERTHELESS THERE IS A DIRECT BRITISH INTEREST IN EARLY PROGRESS IN THIS AREA GIVEN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE AID QUESTION AND THE VBP PROBLEM. I THEREFORE HOPE WE CAN FIND A WAY OF MOBILISING FURTHER INERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE ON VIETNAM IN TIME FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN JUNE. OUR OBJECTIVE WOULD BE TO PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE TO AGREE THAT DISCUSSIONS SHOULD TAKE PLACE AT
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