CONFIDENTIAL
062677 MDHIAN 9204
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 246
OF 04052OZ MAY 90
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
YOUR TELNO 198: VBP: MESSAGE TO THACH
1. I CALLED ON LE THO THIS MORNING AS PREVIOUSLY ARRANGED (MY TELNO 228) AND DELIVERED YOUR MESSAGE FOR THACH. THIS LED TO A FAMILIAR DISCUSSION DURING WHICH I SPELT OUT THE PROBLEM AND EMPHASISED THAT WE WERE CONCERNED AT THE SIGNS OF AN INCREASE IN THE FLOW OF PEOPLE TO HONG KONG AFTER A GOOD BEGINNING TO THE YEAR, AT THE DELAY IN COMPLETING THE NEW RECEPTION FACILITIES AND AT THE SMALL NUMBERS OF NEW VOLUNTEERS, PARTICULARLY AMONGST THOSE SCREENED OUT. THESE WERE ALL POINTS WHICH I MADE IN MY COVERING LETTER TO YOUR MESSAGE TO THACH. THO TOOK NOTE.
2. THO THEN WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
HAD EXAMINED CLOSELY THE LISTS OF POTENTIAL RETURNEES WE HAD HANDED OVER LAST YEAR AND EARLY THIS YEAR (TOTALLING
SOME 462 PEOPLE). THEY HAD NOTED THAT THERE WAS A PREPONDERANCE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND WONDERED WHETHER IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO SELECT FROM THE LISTS A GROUP WHO MIGHT ACQUIESCE IN BEING REUNITED WITH THEIR HEADS OF FAMILIES. THO EMPHASISED THAT THERE COULD BE NO QUESTION OF FORCED REPATRIATION AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED THE REASSURANCE ON THIS POINT OF SOME SORT OF MONITORING IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT IT DID NOT HAVE TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE UNHCR: THERE WERE OTHER SUITABLE ORGANISATIONS, SUCH AS THE ICRC (WHOSE PRESIDENT WOULD BE VISITING VIETNAM VERY SHORTLY). I PROMISED TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITIES WITH YOU.
3. THERE ARE NO DOUBT GREAT DIFFICULTIES IN THIS PROPOSAL BUT QUITE PROBABLY IF WE DO NOT PURSUE IT WITH ALL POSSIBLE VIGOUR WE SHALL NOT HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON IN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE.
4. MAY I SUGGEST THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES USE THEIR OWN RESOURCES (IE AVOID USING UNHCR OR OTHER ORGANISATIONS > TO
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