TNAG-1977-FCO40-2810-Arrivals-figures-and-procedures-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-H-1989 — Page 9

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 798

OF 110535Z MAY 1989

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

57

(58

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 243/22

TRY

TOP COPY Q DIST ?kn

(68)

057164

MDHIAN 4181

HONG KONG TELNOS

1488-1489 AND YOUR

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : MESSAGE TO

·

TELNO 1002 TO HONG KONG :

GOVERNOR OF GUANGDONG.

1 I SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO SEND A PERSONAL LETTER FROM HIM TO THE GOVERNOR OF GUANGDONG AND AM CONTENT WITH THE

DRAFT IN SECOND TUR AS AMENDED BY THIRD TUR. I AGREE THAT TO TELL THE CHINESE WHAT TO DO WITH VIETNAMESE WHOM THEY MIGHT APPREHEND MIGHT RAISE HACKLES. BUT OTHERWISE THE GOVERNOR'S DRAFT STRIKES A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN FRIENDLINESS AND FIRMNESS.

2. I DO NOT THINK THE CHINESE WOULD TAKE AMISS THE TIMING OR CONTENT OF WHAT IS, AFTER ALL, A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM SIR D WILSON ON A SUBJECT WHICH IS OF CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO ALL CANTONESE, WHETHER LIVING IN HONG KONG OR GUANGDONG. BUT I SHOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PASS A COPY OF THE TEXT OF THE LETTER (AFTER ISSUE) IN A FAIRLY LOW KEY WAY TO THE MFA. IT WOULD BE COURTEOUS TO DO SO AND WOULD HELP KEEP UP THE PRESSURE ON THE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES TO GRIP THIS ISSUE. IT MIGHT ALSO HELP TO ALLAY ANY FEARS IN PEKING ALREADY EXPRESSED IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG PRESS REPORTS CRITICAL OF CHINA'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE VBP PROBLEM CHONG KONG TELNO 1473) THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GO

BEHIND THEIR BACK.

3. IF IT IS CONFIRMED THAT WE SHOULD PASS THE TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE TO THE MFA, GRATEFUL FOR AN INDICATION FROM HONG KONG OF WHEN WE SHOULD DO SO.

DONALD

YYYY