CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HANOI
TELNO 60
OF 121149Z FEBRUARY 90
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
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CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
243 15
RECEIVED W CUISTRY
26 FEB 1990
DUSK
11,
on Take
131441
MDHOAN 2866
77
TOP COPY ? DIST ?
YOUR TELNO 74:
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
REGIONAL APPROACH
1 MINISTERS HAVE CONSIDERED WHETHER WE SHOULD PUT A FIRM PROPOSAL FOR A SECOND FLIGHT OF NON-VOLUNTEER RETURNEES TO THE VIETNAMESE VERY SOON, AND CERTAINLY BEFORE MR MAUDE'S VISIT. THEY HAVE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG'S VIEW THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO PRESS THE VIETNAMESE FOR FURTHER REPATRIATIONS UNDER OUR EXISTING BILATERAL AGREEMENT (PARA 4(A) OF HONG KONG TELNO 430 TO FCO).
2 AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONSIDERING A REGIONAL APPROACH CFCO TELNO 65 TO KUALA LUMPUR) INVOLVING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SC3 (2) CONSENSUS OF 24 JANUARY ON A REGIONAL BASIS. THAT CONSENSUS INCLUDES A MORATORIUM ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION UNTIL 1 JULY 1990. TO SEEK VIETNAMESE AGREEMENT TO A FIRM DATE FOR A SECOND FLIGHT NOW WOULD, THEREFORE, IMPLY A BREACH OF THAT MORATORIUM AND RISK UNDERMINING THE REGIONAL APPROACH BEFORE WE HAVE GOT IT ON ITS FEET.
3
OUR PRESENT PLAN IS TO USE MR MAUDE'S FORTHCOMING MEETINGS WITH STOLTENBERG IN GENEVA (12 FEBRUARY) AND EC/ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS IN KUCHING (15/16 FEBRUARY) TO PUT TOGETHER A SOLID FRONT ON THE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE FOR PRESENTATION TO THE VIETNAMESE IN HANOI ON 19/20 FEBRUARY. HE WOULD AIM TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE VIETNAMESE ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES. THE VIETNAMESE ACCEPT UNQUALIFIED MANDATORY REPATRIATION WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1990 AND DROP THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE USE OF FORCE AND INSISTENCE THAT REPATRIATES MUST BE ACQUIESCENT (BUT SEE PARA 5 BELOW). IN EXCHANGE, WE INDICATE A READINESS TO ADOPT A MORE ACCOMMODATING ATTITUDE TO VIETNAM OVER SUCH MATTERS AS AID, EC/VIETNAM OFFICIAL RELATIONS, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE IFIS, AND IN
HE OTHER AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST IN THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. WOULD ALSO HOLD OUT THE PROSPECT OF EARLY TALKS WITH HONG KONG ON ISSUES OF INTEREST TO VIETNAM SUCH AS CONSULAR REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG AND AIR TRAFFIC RIGHTS. IN TALKING TO THE VIETNAMESE,
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