SECRET
161330
MDHIAN 1105
TO BE ESCORTED BY '137 POLICEMEN' CREATED A SENSE OF PRESSURE.
I SAID THAT WHILE THE NUMBER OF ESCORTS MIGHT APPEAR LARGE, IN FACT NO MORE THAN NORMAL DEPORTATION PROCEDURES HAD BEEN APPLIED.
COMMENT
I THINK LE THO SUMMONED ME TO MAKE GOOD HIS UNDERTAKING TO THE AMBASSADOR (PARA 1 OF TUR) AND TO CREATE SOME APPEARANCE OF MOMENTUM WHILE DELAYING A REPLY TO THE PROPOSED DATE (22 OR 23 JANUARY) FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT. HE WISHED TO REITERATE VIETNAMESE CONCERNS ABOUT FORCE AND THE APPEARANCE OF FORCE, AND TO INDICATE THAT THE VIETNAMESE WILL BE PRESENTING DEMANDS THAT WE ACALE DOWN THE NUMBERS OF FUTURE ESCORTS. HOWEVER THIS HAS BEEN DONE AT A LOW, PRELIMINARY LEVEL: HE REFERRED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS TO CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION WITH THE AMBASSADOR ON HIS RETURN. THE VIETNAMESE INTENTION APPEARS TO BE TO CONTINUE OPERATING IN THE GREY AREA BETWEEN 'VOLUNTARY' AND 'FORCED REPATRIATION, PROVIDED THAT OUR HANDLING ARRANGEMENTS AND OUR STATEMENTS ALLOW THEM TO DO SO. THE AMBASSADOR'S FORECAST CHANOI TEL 125 TO HONG KONG) THAT THE VIETNAMESE WOULD RAISE QUESTIONS OF PUBLICITY AND POLICE PRESENCE IS SUBSTANTIATED. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE AN EARLY INDICATION HERE OF ANY VIEWS IN HONG KONG OR LONDON ABOUT POSSIBLE CHANGES IN THE MODALITIES IF DISCUSSION WITH THE VIETNAMESE IS TO BE RENEWED PROMPTLY.
WHITEHEAD
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
65
ΜΑΙΝ
63
VIETNAMESE REPATRIATION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR BLATHERWICK
MR MCLAREN
MR MOSS
MR BEAMISH
LEGAL ADVISERS
FED
NEWS D
PS
ADDITIONAL
2
MR REEVES CABINET OFFICE
PAGE 2 SECRET
PRESS OFFICE No 10
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