CONFIDENTIAL
144633
MDHIAN 23
CONTEXT OF A REGIONAL APPROACH, THE QUESTION OF A MORATORIUM SHOULD PERHAPS BE LEFT OPEN: AT THE VERY LEAST, THE 1 JULY DATE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A GIVEN.
4.
SEEN FROM HERE, THE MAIN ISSUES WHICH MIGHT BE ADDRESSED DURING MR MAUDE'S DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE ARE:
(A) THAT ON VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, WE HOPE THE VIETNAMESE
WILL AGREE TO SPEED UP THE PROCEDURES SO AS TO CLEAR THE
CURRENT BACKLOG VERY QUICKLY.
(B)
(C)
THE URGENT NEED TO PRESS ON WITH A PROGRAMME OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION ON A SCALE WHICH WOULD PROVIDE SOME RELIEF FOR HONG KONG. AN INITIAL TARGET OF 1000 RETURNEES EACH MONTH (VOLUNTARY PLUS MANDATORY) WOULD SEEM TO BE REASONABLE.
THE QUESTION OF MINIMUM NECESSARY FORCE NEEDS TO BE SETTLED IF WE ARE TO BE ABLE TO PLAN A PROGRAMME WITH CONFIDENCE. OUR THINKING ON THE RAPID TURNAROUND SCHEME SHOULD GO SOME WAY TO ALLAYING VIETNAMESE CONCERNS ON THIS POINT.
(D) THAT WE SHOULD PRESS THE VIETNAMESE VERY HARD ON THE CURRENT RATE OF RETURNS AND RECEPTION CAPACITY. GIVEN THAT RETURNEES ONLY STAY IN THE RECEPTION CENTRES FOR A FEW DAYS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THE VIETNAMESE ARGUMENTS THAT THIS IS A MAJOR IMPEDIMENT TO A LARGER SCALE PROGRAMME. IN DISCUSSING RECEPTION CAPACITY, THE QUESTIONS OF A CENTRE AT HAIPHONG AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE SHIP-BASED OPTION WILL BE IMPORTANT.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
68
VIETNAMESE REPATRIATION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
DISTRIBUTION
72
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL
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