SECRET
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 4
SECRET
нив 243 15
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
24 JAN1990
DESK
INDEX
HA
6
161330 MDHIAN 1105
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
OF 03070OZ JANUARY 90
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA................
59 HKB/2+39 555
HANOI TEL 736 TO FCO: VBP REPATRIATION
1
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LE THO SUMMONED ME ON 3 JANUARY. HE SAID HE WAS STILL WAITING TO LEARN THE RESULTS OF HIGH-LEVEL CONSIDERATION OF THE AMBASSADOR'S 29 DECEMBER PROPOSALS. HE EXPECTED TO RESUME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
AMBASSADOR AFTER HIS RETURN FROM BANGKOK.
MEANWHILE, HE SAID, THE VIETNAMES SIDE HAD BEEN CONSIDERING THE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THE 12 DECEMBER REPATRIATION. IT WAS REGRETTABLE THAT AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG AND UK HADN ACCORDING TO PRESS AND BROADCAST REPORTS, BEEN SPEAKING OF FORCIBLE RETURN. IT WOULD CREATE UNFAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR REPATRIATION OF OTHER GROUPS. VIETNAM HAD CONSTANTLY SUPPORTED VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AND OPPOSED FORCIBLE CAT ONE POINT HE USED THE WORD
'INVOLUNTARY') RETURN. VIETNAM WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCEPT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATES.
2. I SAID THAT I WOULD REPORT HIS REMARKS, AND THAT THE EMBASSY WOULD CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT VIETNAMESE CONCERNS WERE UNDERSTOOD.
IT WAS HOWEVER QUITE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH AUTHORITIES TO AVOID ALL DISCUSSION OF A MATTEC THAT WAS OF SUCH PUBLIC AND OFFICIAL CONCERN. IN ADDITION, JOURNALISTS WERE FREE TO WRITE IN SUCH TERMS AS THEY SAW FIT. HE REPEATED THAT THE VIETNAMESE SIDE AND THE HK-UK SIDE SHOULD AVOID CREATING 'UNFAVOURABLE CONDITIONS'.
3 I SAID THAT FOREIGN MINISTER THACH HAD SAID THAT THE 12 DECEMBER GROUP WERE TO BE CONSIDERED AS VOLUNTARY RETURNEES: WAS THERE ANY CHANGE IN THE VIETNAMESE ATTITUDE? HE SAID THAT IT WAS A FACT THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO OPPOSITION FROM THIS
GROUP TO THEIR RETURN. BUT IF THE BRITISH SIDE ACTED IN BREACH OF THE AGREEMENT VIETNAM WOULD BE FORCED TO PROTEST. I ASKED
WHERE THE VIETNAMESE THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN A BREACH OF THE AGREEMENT. HE AGAIN REFERRED OBSCUREELY TO OFFICIAL STATEMENTS
ABOUT INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. I SAID THAT GREAT CARE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT FORCE HAD NOT BEEN USED. HE
SAID THAT FOR A GROUP OF 51 INCLUDING MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN
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