TNAG-1971-FCO40-2804-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 25

UNCLASSIFIED

160)

161745

MDHIAN 1071

UNCLASSIFIED

FM BANGKOK

TO

IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 268

OF 180835Z APRIL 89

HKD 243/9 нко

R 198

TOP COPY

Q DIST ?

AND TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA HONG KONG SINGAPORE, MANILA AND TO PRIORITY JAKARTA KUALA LUMPUR BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AND TO PRIORITY

151

HANOI

YOUR TELNO 845 TO HONG KONG: REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE

SUMMARY

·

1 THAIS KEEN TO ENCOURAGE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO PRESS VIETNAM TO ACCEPT RETURN OF ALL THOSE SCREENED OUT. THEY

SEE THIS AS KEY TO SUCCESSFUL GENEVA CONFERENCE. THAIS

REMAIN ATTRACTED TO REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE IDEA AS FALLBACK IF ARRANGEMENTS FOR RETURNING BOAT PEOPLE DO NOT GO SMOOTHLY. CENTRES COULD BE IN PHILIPPINES AND POSSIBLY

INDONESEA.

DETAIL

2. IN THE ABSENCE OF AMBASSADOR KASIT PIROMYA AND HIS DEPUTY, PRECHA PITISANT IN GENEVA, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAI THINKING ON A REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE WITH TAMNU TANGKANASING, SOCIAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

3. TAMNU EXPLAINED THAT THE THAIS WERE STILL CONSIDERING THE IDEA OF SUCH A CENTRE. HOWEVER, THEY SAW THIS MORE AS A FALLBACK POSITION IF THE VIETNAMESE CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT BACK ONLY THOSE WHOSE SOUGHT REPATRIATION VOLUNTARILY. IN THIS CONTEXT, THE THAIS HAVE HAD PRELIMINARY, INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH ASEAN COLLEAGUES ON THE NEED TO APPLY PRESSURE ON VIETNAM TO ACCEPT ALL THOSE SCREENED OUT. THE THAIS ALSO HOPED THAT

OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES WOULD SIMILARLY EMPHASIZE THIS POINT TO THE VIETNAMESE. (DEPUTY PERMANENT SECRETARY MONTRI WAS BRIEFED TO RAISE THIS WITH LORD GLENARTHUR DURING THE MINISTERS CALL ON HIM ON 14 APRIL. LACK OF TIME MEANT THIS ITEM WAS NOT REACHED). THE THAIS REMAIN WARY OF THE USE OF THE TERM QUOTE FORCED REPATRIATION UNQUOTE, BUT CONSIDER THAT FAILURE TO GET THE VIETNAMESE TO AGREE TO RETURN OF ALL CALL)

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