TNAG-2226-FCO40-3198-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Vietnam-1991 — Page 4

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Ith (viet relations. MDXTAN 6096

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FM HONG KONG

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER NFR

OF 18085OZ JANUARY 91

INFO TELELETTER HANOI, PEKING, WASHINGTON

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17

d/ MR McLAREN MR BURNS

MR COLVIN (SEAD) MR HASWiret

MR SPONE

FROM S E BRADLEY, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG TO PAUL, HKD, FCO

INFO HANOI, PEKING, WASHINGTON

POLITICAL ADVISER'S MEETING WITH LE THO 16 JANUARY 1991

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1. PLEASE REFER TO OUR TELNO 202 WHICH GAVE A SUMMARY OF THE

DISCUSSION.

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE (VBP)

2. THE POLITICAL ADVISER SAW LE THO AND HIS DELEGATION ON 16

JANUARY. HE REFERRED TO DISCUSSIONS HELD WITH THE SECRETARY OF SECURITY AND REFUGEE CO-ORDINATOR CONCERNING THE VBP PROBLEM, AND EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THIS VISIT HAD IMPROVED THE VIETNAMESE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS WE FACED IN HONG KONG WITH THE LARGE NUMBER OF VBP HERE. IT WAS STILL A MAJOR BURDEN. WHILE WE WERE HAPPY THAT THE NUMBER OF ARRIVALS IN1990 HAD FALLEN, WE WERE VERY CONCERNED THAT THE NUMBERS COMING OVERLAND WERE IF ANYTHING INCREASING. HE KNEW THAT MEASURES TO DETER DEPARTURES HAD BEEN

DISCUSSED WITH ASPREY AND LEEKS. THIS WAS WELCOME. HKG ALSO PASSED INFORMATION TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. RECENTLY THE CHIEF

SECRETARY HAD VISITED GUANGDONG AND GUANGXI TO SEE THE SITUATION

ON THE GROUND FOR HIMSELF.

3. EHRMAN ALSO NOTED THE INCREASING CO-OPERATION BETWEEN US TO DEAL WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROBLEM, I.E. REPATRIATION. UNFORTUNATELY, HOWEVER, RECENT NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEERS AND NON- OBJECTORS WERE NOT GREAT. IT WOULD PROBABLY BE NECESSARY FOR US TO CONSULT ON FURTHER MEASURES. WE WISHED TO MOVE TOWARDS

STANDARD INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS WHEREBY PEOPLE COULD BE RETURNED IN A NORMAL WAY WITH OUT FUSS AND PUBLICITY.

4. LE THO SAID THAT HE FULLY SYMPATHISED WITH HONG KONG'S

DIFFICULTIES. HE NOTED THAT NUMBERS COMING FROM THE NORTH HAD DECREASED. THIS WAS A WELCOME RESULT OF OUR CO-OPERATION. WE WERE NOW FACING A NEW SITUATION WHERE NUMBERS COMING FROM THE SOUTH

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