TNAG-2063-FCO40-2941-Vietnamese-boat-people-repatriation-1990 — Page 49

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY HANOI

TELNO 47

OF 09051OZ MAY 90

CONFIDENTIAL

TUTAY 1990

REGISTRY

FICER

HA

Lection

122

075012

MDHIAN 9740

INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, UKMIS GENEVA

анакиеd

to 124

YOUR TELNO 246 : FCO TELNO 206 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : REPATRIATION

1. THIS LATEST VIETNAMESE SUGGESTION TAKES US BACK TO THE CONCEPTS OF THE GREY AREA AND THE ACQUIESCENT NON-VOLUNTEER. WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A GROUP OF 200 OR SO WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHOSE HUSBANDS/FATHERS HAVE REMAINED IN VIETNAM BUT WE ARE NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS TAKES US MUCH FURTHER FORWARD. INTENSIVE COUNSELLING MIGHT WELL RESULT IN SOME OF THESE PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING AND THE REMAINDER MIGHT WELL ACQUIESCE IN A MANDATORY REPATRIATION EXERCISE. THE PROBLEM REMAINS, HOWEVER, THAT WE MUST BE ABLE TO AUTHORISE THE USE OF NECESSARY MINIMUM FORCE, AND THIS POINT MUST BE ACCEPTED BY THE VIETNAMESE, IF WE ARE TO MOUNT A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION. WE MIGHT WELL BE ABLE TO FINESSE THE FORCE ISSUE IN OUR PUBLIC STATEMENTS BUT IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE WE NEED AN UNDERSTANDING THAT NO GROUP WILL BE TURNED BACK AT HANOI ON THE GROUNDS THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE NOT ACQUIESCED. SEEN FROM HERE, IT IS BETTER NOT TO TRY THAN TO ATTEMPT A REPATRIATION EXERCISE AND TO FAIL.

2. THE FAMILY REUNIFICATION TWIST IN THIS LATEST IDEAS HAS IT ATTRACTIONS BUT THIS IS IN ESSENCE A PRESENTATIONAL POINT. THESE PEOPLE MIGHT WELL DESIRE FAMILY REUNIFICATION BUT THEIR OBJECTIVE IS TO ACHIEVE THIS IN A RESETTLEMENT COUNTRY, NOT IN VIETNAM. THERE IS ALSO OF COURSE A PR RISK IN FOCUSING ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN. IT SHOULD NOT BE ASSUMED THAT RELUCTANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE ANY EASIER TO DEAL WITH THAN RELUCTANT MEN.

3. WE THEREFORE AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS IN SECOND TUR THAT THIS PROPOSAL LEAVES THE MAIN ISSUE UNRESOLVED WHILE ALLOWING THE VIETNAMESE TO CLAIM THAT THEY ARE GENUINELY EXPLORING COMMON GROUND.

WILSON

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CONFIDENTIAL