TNAG-2063-FCO40-2941-Vietnamese-boat-people-repatriation-1990 — Page 52

RESTRICTED

120

061231 MDLOAN 3655

24315

RESTRICTED

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HANOI

TELNO 204

OF 03092OZ MAY 90

AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

HKB RECEIVED IN RECISTRY

2 1MAY 1990

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK

118)

YOUR TELNO 243: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: USE OF RAF VC10'S FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION

AIRCRAFT

1. THE RAF HAVE NO VC10'S PREPOSITIONED IN HONG KONG. WOULD HAVE TO BE MOVED SPECIALLY TO HONG KONG FOR REPATRIATION PURPOSES. THE RESULTING COST WOULD BE VERY HIGH: THE RAF ESTIMATE LAST NOVEMBER WAS POUNDS 340,000 FOR THE ROUTE UK-HONG KONG-HANOI HONG KONG-UK. SINCE THE VC10 FLEET IS BEING RUN DOWN, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO LEAVE AN AIRCRAFT IN HONG KONG ASSIGNED TO REPATRIATION FLIGHTS.

2.

GRATEFUL IF THIS COULD BE EXPLAINED TO CASELLA. THE ONLY PRACTICAL LONG TERM WAY OF REDUCING COSTS WOULD BE TO USE SHIPS.

HURD

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

123

ΜΑΙΝ

113

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

RMD

LIMITED

PS

HKD

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PUSD

ECD (E)

FED

NAD

NEWS D

INFO D

FINANCE D

ADDITIONAL

10

PAGE

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/MR SAINSBURY

PS/LORD BRABAZON

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR SLATER

MR MCLAREN

MR MOSS

MR BLATHERWICK

1

RESTRICTED