TNAG-2062-FCO40-2940-Vietnamese-boat-people-repatriation-1990 — Page 83

CONFIDENTIAL

016371 MDHOAN 1143

36

CONFENTIAL

FM FCO

HKB

24315

243 IS TOP COPY

Q DIST?

TO DESKBY 15230OZ HONG KONCEIVED IN REGISTRY

TELNO 139

OF 151756Z JANUARY 90

30 JAN1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY

R

YOUR TELNO 171: RAISON/ENNALS REPORT ON BOAT PEOPLE

1.

THE RAISON/ENNALS REPORT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC AT A PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR 16 JANUARY AT 153OZ IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. UNLESS WE HEAR TO THE CONTRARY WE WILL ISSUE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S NAME AT THE 16 JANUARY 1230 NEWS CONFERENCE · CARRYING AN EMBARGO UNTIL 1530: QUOTE

I AM MOST GRATEFUL TO LORD ENNALS AND MR RAISON FOR UNDERTAKING

THEY WERE THEIR MISSION AND FOR THEIR COMPREHENSIVE REPORT. CLEARLY GIVEN GOOD ACCESS TO THOSE THEY WANTED TO SEE. I NOTE THAT ALL THOSE TO WHOM THEY TALKED ACCEPTED THAT THEY WERE NOT REFUGEES. I WAS NATURALLY GLAD THAT LORD ENNALS AND MR RAISON WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FORCE BEING USED IN THE REPATRIATION, OR OF ILL TREATMENT ON THEIR RETURN.

IT IS CLEAR FROM THE REPORT THAT THE MESSAGE HAS NOT YET GOT CROSS IN VIETNAM THAT NO COUNTRY IS WILLING TO TAKE THOSE BOAT

IN THIS REGARD PEOPLE WHO ARE FOUND NOT TO BE GENUINE REFUGEES.

I WELCOME THE REPORT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION. WE SHALL BE STUDYING THIS AND THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS CAREFULLY AND QUICKLY WITH A VIEW TO IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THEM.

UNQUOTE

2. QUESTIONS ARISING FROM THE REPORT:

A. THERE WAS OVERKILL IN THE POLICE PRESENCE AND EQUIPMENT USED

FOR THE DEPARTURE OF THE NON-VOLUNTARY RETURNEES.

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THE REPORT CLEARLY CONFIRMS THAT NO FORCE WAS USED AT ANY STAGE IN THE REPATRIATION. THE NUMBER OF POLICE AND THE EQUIPMENT

1

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