TNAG-2071-FCO40-2949-Vietnamese-boat-people-1990 — Page 56

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Americans. Since the consensus includes a moratorium on

mandatory returns until 1 July, we have some time in

which to work up the approach.

There must, of course, be

a risk that the Americans will take this amiss and

pressure the key players, notably the UNHCR, not to play

ball. But if we play our cards carefully, American

opposition may turn out to be more token than real. For

example, it is hard to believe that they would suspend

their resettlement effort by way of retaliation.

managed to extract from Jim Baker the grudging observation that he would "try to show understanding". And

I put our views strongly to General Scowcroft, making

I

clear that we would look for US acquiescence, in going

In short,

ahead on the lines of the Geneva consensus.I believe that

the risk of a row with the Americans is one that we

should be prepared to take.

3 The cooperation of the new UN High Commissioner for

Refugees, Thorwald Stoltenberg, will be crucial.

As you

know, Francis Maude made a lightning visit to Geneva on

the eve of the Steering Committee meeting to bring home

to Stoltenberg personally the importance which we attach

to resolving this issue. This is paying dividends.

Despite being advised by the UN Secretary-General not to

do so, Stoltenberg has nevertheless written to President

Bush to appeal to the United States to join the

consensus. He has also sent a senior official to Hanoi

in an attempt to persuade the Vietnamese to agree to 1

July for the end of the moratorium.

I am giving

Stoltenberg an account of my talks in Washington and

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