CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 145
OF 23093OZ MARCH 89
CONFIDENTIAL
to
HD 243/9 Tel & HK IS URMA CE
сих.
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066020
MDHIAN 8005
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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
я
FCO TELNO 96(NOT TO HONG KONG)
FCO TELNO (NOT TO HONG KONG) AND
FCO TELNO 100: VISIT OF LORD GLENARTHUR
1. AT OFFICIAL DINNERS LORD GLENARTHUR WILL BE EXPECTED TO SPEAK FOR A VERY FEW MINUTES BY WAY OF AN EXTENDED TOATST. A SPEECH AS SUCH SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED. I SUSPECT THAT VIETNAMESE WILL WANT TO ORGAINIZE JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE AND SIMILARLY SHORT OPENING STATEMENTS WILL BE REQUIRED THEN.
2. ON ALL SUCH OCCASIONS LORD GLENARTHUR COULD REFER TO POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN VIETNAM OVER LAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORMS AND THE CONSEQUENT INCREASED INVOLVEMENT OF BRITISH BUSINESS (BP FOR EXAMPLE). HE COULD ALSO SPEAK FAVOURABLY ABOUT THE FIRST RETURNS OF VBP FROM HONG KONG (A SECOND BATCH MIGHT COME BACK BEFORE OR DURING HIS VISIT) AND WISH THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN JUNE SUCCESS. ALSO A FEW APPROPIATE WORDS ADVOCATING AN EARLY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF CAMBODIA MIGHT BE IN ORDER.
3. I AM NOT SURE IF THE VIETNAMESE WOULD WISH LORD GLENARTHUR TO VISIT RETURNED BOAT PEOPLE. I ALSO DOUBT IF IT WOULD BE IN OUR INTERESTS. WE HAVE TWO AIMS: TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE LEAVING
BY BOAT AND TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOLUNTERR TO RETURN. SUBJECT TO HONG KONG'S VIEWS I AM NOT SURE THAT SUCH A MEETING BETWEEN LORD GLENARTHUR AND RETURNED BOAT PEOPLE WOULD HELP ACHIEVE EITHER. ALSO, THERE IS THE RISK THAT SOME VIETNAMESE MIGHT SAY THE WRONG THINGS IN FRONT OF THE PRESS. IF WE WANT ASSURANCES ABOUT THE GOOD TREATMENT OF RETURNED VBP'S I THINK THAT WE CAN LEAVE THAT TO THE UNHCR AND WE SHOULD NOT PERHAPS CUT ACROSS THEIR BOWS.
4. I SEE NO REASON WHY LORD GLENARTHUR SHOULD NOT RAISE THE CASES OF XUONG TRAN AND TUYỂN LÊ.
PARTRIDGE
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