CONFIDENTIAL
FM BANGKOK
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 124
OF 14003OZ FEBRUARY 90
CONFIDEN"
HRB
140430
24315
MDHIAN 6769
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
DESK
INDEX
26 FEB 1990
FGIST
TOP COPY Q LIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA, UKMIS GENEVA INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, JAKARTA, SINGAPORE, HONG KONG INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, TOKYO, INFO IMMEDIATE BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
112
YOUR TELNO 65 TO KUALA LUMPUR: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
REGIONAL APPROACH.
1.
WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THE THAIS TO BE ATTRACTED BY A REGIONAL APPROACH. THEY WILL BE CONCERNED THAT INVOLVEMENT IN A REGIONAL SOLUTION COULD PREJUDICE CONTINUE AMERICAN OFFTAKE OF REFUGEES FROM THAILAND. MORE IMPORTANT, THEY HAVE ALL ALONG INSISTED THAT A SUCCESSION OF BILATERAL DEALS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, PRINCIPALLY BECAUSE THEY FEAR THAT THEY WOULD BE CALLED UPON
TO PAY THE VIETNAMESE PRICE FOR A THAI-VIETNAMESE BILATERAL DEAL. THEY WOULD PREFER TO SEE THE US AND OTHERS PAY THE PRICE FOR A MULTILATERAL DEAL.
2.
THE THAIS WILL BE VERY SCEPTICAL OF ANY PROPOSED LARGE-SCALE REPATRIATION PROGRAMME WHICH IS NOT UNDERWRITTEN BY SOMEONE ELSE'S
MONEY. IF WE REALLY WANT THAILAND INVOLVED WE WILL HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO FOOT THE BILL.
3.
THE THAIS MIGHT NOT BE AVERSE, HOWEVER, TO SEEING OTHER REGIONAL COUNTRIES MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT WITH VIETNAM, CALCULATING THAT THIS WOULD FREE MORE AMERICAN MONEY AND
RESETTLEMENT PLACES FOR THAILAND.
4.
A NON-COMMITTAL THAI RESPONSE TO MR MAUDE SHOULD NOT BE
TAKE AS AN INDICATION OF SUPPORT.
MELHUISH
YYYY
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