TNAG-1977-FCO40-2810-Arrivals-figures-and-procedures-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-H-1989 — Page 50

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MDLIAN 9435

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FM BANGKOK

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 311

OF 100145Z MAY 89

INFO PRIORITY HANOI, HONG KONG, KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, MANILA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, WASHINGTON, TOKYO INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA, OTTAWA, PARIS

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FCO TELNO 860 TO WASHINGTON.

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.

1. THOMAS (ASSISTANT, SEAD) SPOKE TO SENIOR MFA OFFICIALS ON 9 MAY ON LINES OF TUR. THE PRESSURES ON HONG KONG WERE BECOMING INTOLERABLE AND URGENT ACTION WAS NEEDED. VIETNAM MUST BE MADE TO REALISE THAT THE PRICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL RESPECTABILITY THEY SOUGHT IN ORDER TO GAIN INVESTMENT WAS CONFORMITY WITH ACCEPTED STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR. THIS INCLUDED ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN CITIZENS.

2. THE THAIS SYMPATHISED WITH OUR DIFFICULTIES, WHICH THEY SHARED. THERE WOULD BE A MEETING OF ASEAN SENIOR OFFICIALS IN BRUNEI ON 24-25 MAY TO DISCUSS BOTH BOAT PEOPLE AND CAMBODIA. THOMAS SAID IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE MEETING AGREED A COMMON ASEAN POSITION THAT A PRECONDITION FOR RESUMPTION OF ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM WAS THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BEHAVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONALLY

ACCEPTED NORMS.

3. THAI OFFICIALS ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN ASKED BY

THE IBRD WHETHER THE TIME WAS YET RIGHT FOR A MISSION TO VIETNAM TO ASSESS THE PROSPECTS FOR REHABILITATION OF

THE ECONOMY. THEY BELIEVED WUCH A MISSION WOULD BE

PREMATURE.

4. AT A SEPARATE CALL, JAMBOR (UNHCR) POINTED OUT THAT CHINA WAS NOT ONLY A SIGNATORY TO THE UN REFUGEE CONVENTION. BUT WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF EXCOM AND PURPORTED TO RESPECT

THE CONVENTION FULLY. IF THE BOAT PEOPLE WERE GENUINE ASYLUM SEEKERS, THEY COULD LEGALLY HAVE CLAIMED ASYLUM IN CHINA. SPEAKING ON A PERSONAL BASIS, HE THOUGHT THE

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