TNAG-2353-FCO40-3423-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 160

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TO DESKBY 25120OZ FCO TELNO 3698

OF 251118Z NOVEMBER 91

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YOUR TELNO 2002: VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS.

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1. THE PROGRAMME FOR THE AFTERNOON OF 6 DECEMBER INCLUDES, LORD CAITHNESS'S REQUEST, A VISIT TO GREEN ISLAND RECEPTION CENTRE. HOWEVER, UNLESS WE GET NEW ARRIVALS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN ? THE CENTRE WILL BE EMPTY AT THE TIME LORD CAITHNESS VISITS IT. AT BEST THERE ARE ONLY LIKELY TO BE VERY FEW VIETNAMESE THERE.

2. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT LORD CAITHNESS SHOULD INSTEAD VISIT LO WU CENTRE. THIS IS THE HOLDING CENTRE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. AT THE TIME OF LORD CAITHNESS'S VISIT, THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE ABOUT 1,000 VOLUNTEERS THERE. THE CENTRE IS AT THE BORDER AND EASY TO GET TO BY HELICOPTER. WE COULD FIT A VISIT INTO THE SLOT PREVIOUSLY SET ASIDE FOR THE TRIP TO GREEN ISLAND, AND GET LORD CAITHNESS TO STONECUTTERS ISLAND IN TIME FOR HIS PROGRAMME THERE. SUCH A VISIT WOULD HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF PROVIDING GOOD PUBLICITY FOR THE VOLUNTARY

REPATRIATION PROGRAMME WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, IS CURRENTLY RUNNING AT A RATE OF FROM OVER 1,000 A MONTH.

3. GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION THAT LORD CAITHNESS IS CONTENT WITH

THIS CHANGE.

WILSON

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