TNAG-2062-FCO40-2940-Vietnamese-boat-people-repatriation-1990 — Page 131

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HANOI

TO DESKBY 10120OZ FCO

TELNO 15

OF 10105OZ JANUARY 90

FOR SEAD

า

CONFIDENTIAL

22

}

HKB

243 15

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

001656

MDHIAN 1902

18 JAN1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

HYA

Action

TOP COPY

?

YOUR TELNO 14: ENNALS/RAISON MONITORING VISIT

1. FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY, BEFORE THE INTERVIEWS THEY CONDUCTED IN HAIPHONG, ENNALS AND RAISON EXPLAINED THE PURPOSE OF THEIR MISSION TO LOCAL OFFICIALS THERE. THEY ASKED THAT EACH

INTERVIEW WITH RETURNEE FAMILIES SHOULD BE CONDUCTED QUIETLY AND THOROUGHLY WITHOUT BRITISH OR VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS (OTHER THAN CARTER) OR THE PRESS. DURING THE FIRST INTERVIEW CURIOUS NEIGHBOURS

TRIED TO CROWED INTO THE ROOM. AT ONE STAGE ENNALS AND RAISON STOPPED THE DISCUSSION TO ASK THEM TO LEAVE. AS NOTED BY THE DAILY MAIL, THREE LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE/WERE ALSO PRESENT DURING THIS INTERVIEW DESPITE ENNALS' AND RAISON'S REQUEST, ALTHOUGH THEY MADE NO ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE AND SEEMED UNINTERESTED IN THE PROCEEDINGS. AFTERWARDS THE DAILY MAIL CORRESPONDENT RAISED THIS WITH ENNALS

AND RAISON. BOTH SPOKE FIRMLY TO THE SENIOR OFFICIAL PRESENT (FROM HAIPHONG'S FOREIGN RELATIONS BUREAU (FRB) AND, AFTER A TENSE EXCHANGE, HE AGREED TO THEIR DEMANDS. NO OUTSIDERS PARTICIPA- TED IN SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEWS. ENNALS AND RAISON WERE STRUCK BY THE FRANKNESS AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF THEIR MEETINGS AND THERE WAS NO

SIGN OF INTIMIDATION. THEY ARE SATISFIED THAT THE PRESENCE OF THREE

OFFICIALS AT THE FIRST MEETING HAD NO/NO INFLUENCE ON THE COURSE OF THE INTERVIEW. THEY HAVE MADE THESE POINTS TO ACCOMPANYING JOURNA- LISTS, INCLUDING THE MAIL CORRESPONDENT.

2. ENNALS AND RAISON ARE UNAWARE OF ANY ATTEMPT BY LOCAL OFFICIALS

TO DELAY INTERVIEWS. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON THEIR ARRIVAL IN HAIPHONG ON 8 JANUARY BECAUSE WE HAD AGREED ONE OUTLINE PROGRAMME

WITH THE HANOI AUTHORITIES AND THOSE IN HAIPHONG HAD PREPARED

ANOTHER BEGINNING EARLIER IN THE DAY. BUT AFTER SOME DISCUSSION BOTH SIDES AGREED ON A REVISED PROGRAMME. HAIPHONG OFFICIALS ALSO TOLD ENNALS AND RAISON THAT THOSE RETURNEES WHOM THEY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO SEE ON 8 JANUARY WERE NOT AVAILABLE ON 9 JANUARY BECAUSE THEY WERE FISHING OR VISITING RELATIVES. BUT WE TRACKED DOWN THE FAMILY VISITING RELATIVES. ENNALS AND RAISON WERE SATISFIED THAT THE

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