TNAG-2071-FCO40-2949-Vietnamese-boat-people-1990 — Page 38

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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INDEX

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155067 MDHIAN 7475

FM HANOI Į

TO DESKBY 19090OZ FCOLN

TELNO 99

OF 19030OZ FEBRUARY 90

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA,

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

INFO PRIORITY OTTAWA, TOKYO, CANBERRA, JAKARTA

INFO ROUTINE BANDAR SERI BEGWAN, SINGAPORE

FROM COLVIN

MIPT: MR MAUDE'S BILATERALS IN KUCHING ON 16 FEBRUARY

THAI BILATERAL

1. MR MAUDE OUTLINED THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS OF SC3(2) AND ASKED WHETHER THAILAND WOULD THINK A REGIONAL CONSENSUS AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM, WITH UNHCR SUPPORT, WORTHWHILE.

2. FOREIGN MINISTER SIDDHI STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF UNHCR INVOLVEMENT. KASIT SUGGESTED ALLOWING ANOTHER TWO WEEKS FOR NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNHCR. AFTER THAT, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO AGREE TO ''SEMI-UNILATERAL'' ACTION AFTER 1 JULY. BUT WITHOUT FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS, HE WAS AFRAID THAT THE US MIGHT WITHHOLD FINANCE OR SLOW ROWN RESSETTLEMENT.

MR MAUDE AGREED. BUT ACTION WAS NEEDED TO DEAL WITH THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WE, LIKE THAILAND, FACED. WHAT ABOUT A JOINT PROPOSAL FOR ACTION ON 1 JULY, AND TRYING TO PERSUADE THE AMERICANS NOT TO OBSTRUCT THIS? SIDDHI WONDERED WHAT DIFFERENCE SIX MONTHS WOULD MAKE. WHAT ABOUT THE PRPC? MR MAUDE POINTED OUT THAT THE PHILIPPINE CENTRE WOULD ONLY BE FOR REFUGEES. AND ANY DATE LATER THAN 1 JULY WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR HONG KONG.

3. MR MAUDE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE TALKING TO THE VIETNAMESE ABOUT SPEEDING UP VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, HELP FOR NEW TRANSIT/RECEPTION FACILITIES, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF RESUMING AID, PROVIDED THAT VIETNAM WAS READY TO ACCEPT ITS INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS. HAD THE THAI FOREIGN MINISTER BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIS VIETNAMESE COLLEAGUE? SIDDHI SAID THAT HE HAD LAST MET THACH A YEAR AGO. THE VIETNAMESE WERE PREPARED TO ACCEPT BACK VOLUNTEERS,

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