TNAG-1977-FCO40-2810-Arrivals-figures-and-procedures-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-H-1989 — Page 21

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057275

MDHIAN 419

IT REMAINED UNCLEAR WHETHER HE MEANT THAT THIS WAS A QUESTION

WHICH WAS ALREADY UNDER CONSIDERATION OR WHETHER IT WOULD BE

CONSIDERED IF WE RAISED IT. I THAN ASKED HIM WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE

APPREHENDED A BOAT TOMORROW JUST OUTSIDE HONG KONG TERRITORIAL WATERS AND TOWED IT TO VIETNAMESE TERRITORIAL WATERS. NGO SAID

THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO CONSULT HIS GOVERNMENT BUT HIS PERSONAL VIEW

WAS THAT THEY COULD BE ACCEPTED BACK.

COMMENT

7. NGO SEEMED

UNUSED TO DEALING WITH FOREIGNERS, AT LEAST ACROSS

A TABLE, AND TOOK SOME TIME TO WARM TO HIS SUBJECT. BUT, I THINK HE COULD PROVE TO BE A VALUABLE CONTACT. HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES SEEM READY TO TAKE A RATHER MORE ROBUST LINE THAN MFA OFFICIALS

AND MINISTERS ON REPATRIATION: IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR US WITH CARE TO EXPLOIT THIS. WE SHALL NEED TO COME UP WITH THE GOODS ON INFORMATION ABOUT ORGANISERS VERY PROMPTLY.

DAVIES

FCO PSE PASS HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA AND WASHINGTON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

ΜΑΙΝ

95

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

NEWS

LIMITED

PS

HKD

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PUSD

ECD (E)

FED

NAD

ADDITIONAL

6

101

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/MR PATTEN ODA

PS MR EGGAR

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR SLATER

MR MCLAREN

MR MACHIN ODA 2 COPIES

MR G-HARRISON ODA

MR FLESHER B1 DIV HO LUNAR HSE

N N N N

HKGO LONDON

MRS B FAIR VSU QUEEN ANNES GTE CHOME OFFICE)

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