TNAG-1972-FCO40-2805-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 140

CONFIDENTIAL

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CONFIDENTIAL

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TO DESKBY 1915OOZ PARIS

TELNO 280

OF 19133OZ APRIL 89

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166450

MDHOAN 9404

PLEASE PASS URGENTLY

FOR MCLAREN AUS (VISITING) AND APS/LORD GLENARTHUR

FROM PAUL, HKD

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: ANNOTATED AGENDA FOR SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING, 20 APRIL 1989

1. MANDATORY REPATRIATION

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IS HMG PREPARED TO COUNTENANCE THE PRINCIPLE OF MANDATORY

REPATRIATION?

CAN WE CONVINCE DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN OPINION THAT ITIS A

HUMANITARIAN SOLUTION?

IF SO, SHOULD WE WORK FOR AGREEMENT AT GENEVA CONFERENCE ON TIMETABLE/MECHANISM TO IMPLEMENT IT?

IF NOT, CAN WE MAKE TACTICAL USE OF THE THREAT OF MANDATORY

REPATRIATION IN ORDER TO FOCUS MINDS ON THE IMMEDIATEY OF THE

PROBLEM AND THE NEED FOR A RAPID SOLUTION?

ARE WE PREPARED TO PRESS FOR MANDATORY REPATRIATION AT THE

RISK OF ALIENATING THE AMERICANS OR UNHCR?

2. AID TO VIETNAM

ARE WE PREPARED TO CONTEMPLATE RESUMPTION OF AID TO VIETNAM

BEFORE WITHDRAWAL FROM CAMBODIA AS PRICE FOR MORE FORTHCOMING

VIETNAMESE ATTITUDE ON REPATRATION OR MUST WE WAIT ON CAMBODIA?

WOULD OTHER POTENTIAL DONORS (EG THE FRENCH AND JAPANESE) BE PREPARED TO MAKE SUCH A LINK?

- IS OUR BILATERAL PROGRAMME LIKELY TO BE SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO

OFFER REAL LEVERAGE?

WHAT FORM MIGHT AID TAKE? (EG SUPPORT FOR FIBRE OPTIC PROJECT, ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING OFFICER, REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE).

- WOULD THIS ONLY ENCOURAGE VIETNAM TO SEEK FURTHER

CONCESSIONS?

WOULD IT BE PREFERABLE TO HELP FINANCE A REGIONAL HOLDING

CENTRE INSTEAD (POINT 4 BELOW)

3. WAYS OF PUTTING PRESSURE ON VIETNAM OVER REPATRIATION

CAN WE MAKE MORE USE OF ASEAN, WHO MAY HAVE MORE LEVERAGE ON VIETNAM THAN THE UK? (EG POSSIBLE MEMBERSHIP OF ASEAN).

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