CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
243 15
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
18 JAN1990
DESK OFFICER
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004431
MDHIAN 2027
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 17
OF 11033OZ JANUARY 90
INDEX
PA
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
TOM a
1. AT THE WRAP-UP MEETING WITH LORD ENNALS AND MR RAISON LAST EVENING, VU KHOAN ASEEMED TO IMPLY AT ONE POINT
DIST ?
THAT THE MEETING SHOULD BE REGARDED AS THE PROMISED FOLLOW-UP
TO HIS AND MY EARLIER DISCUSSIONS ON THE WAY FORWARD IN THE LIGHT OF THE EXPERIENCE GAINED FROM THE FIRST FLIGHT OF NON-VOLUNTEERS. HE MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
A) THAT VIETNAM WAS PREPARED TO PROCEED WITH THE PROGRAMME OF REPATRIATION OF THOSE WHO WERE NOT OPPOSED TO REPATRIATION BUT IT WAS HOPED THAT PUBLIC OPINION COULD BE BROUGHT ROUND TO
ACCEPTING IT.
B) THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.
C) THAT THE VIETNAMESE AND UK GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ASK THE UNHCR TO MONITOR THE NON-VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME IN VIETNAM AND IN HONG KONG.
2. I THOUGHT IT WISE NOT TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH VU KHOAN IN FRONT OF THE VISITORS AND ESTABLISHED WITH HIM THAT HE WOULD SEE ME NEXT WEEK.
3. THE SUGGESTION FOR UNHCR INVOLVEMENT AT BOTH ENDS MAY OF COURSE BE NO MORE THAN A RATHER CLEVER WAY OF POSTPONING THE RESUMPTION OF WHAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A DIFFICULT EXERCISE FOR THE VIETNAMESE BUT IT COULD ALSO BE A SERIOUS ATTEMPT TO MOVE FORWARD BY MAKING A PROPOSAL WHICH WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT AND WHICH THE AMERICANS WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY IN REJECTING.
CORRECTION: PARA 1. VU KHOAN SEEMED TO IMPLY ETC
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