TNAG-2401-FCO40-3488-Vietnamese-migrants-Orderly-Repatriation-Programme-(ORP)-1992 — Page 149

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013672

MDLOAN 0905

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FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 528

OF 19130OZ MAR 92

INFO PRIORITY HANOI

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HKA 020/14

01 APR

Pa

imp:

INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, UKREP BRUSSELS

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YOUR TELNO 838: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: ORP II

1. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE THOUGHT YOU AND HMA HANOI HAVE BEEN GIVING TO THIS DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

Ap

2. WE TOO ARE ATTRACTED BY OPTION 3(C) SMALL PROJECTS AT COMMUNITY LEVEL, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH CAN CREATE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. WE PARTICULARLY LIKE THE IDEA OF IDENTIFYING THE SPECIFIC PROVINCES WHERE HELP IS MOST NEEDED AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR OFFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO HANOI. OPTION 3 (A) IMPROVING RECEPTION FACILITIES ETC - MAY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IF THE RETURN FLOW INCREASES, BUT IT IS BETTER TACKLED THROUGH UNHCR. WE DO NOT LIKE 3(B) · CASH PER HEAD - FOR THE REASONS YOU GIVE. IT WOULD ALSO CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR OTHER FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS GIVING THE PRESS A FIELD DAY. THEY ARE WAITING WITH GLEE FOR US TO START DOWN THAT PARTICULAR ROAD.

3.

WE UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS WITH LEGCO AND YOU WILL NEED TOBEAR IN MIND THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO APPEALS TO SHARE THE COSTS (PARA 6 OF TUR). BUT IF EARLY PROGRESS IS TO BE MADE ON ORPII, THE SOONER WE CAN BREAK THE DEADLOCK THE BETTER. WE SHALL NEED TO CONFIRM WITH THE NEW GOVERNMENT AFTER THE ELECTIONS THAT THEY ARE CONTENT TO PRESS AHEAD WITH AN ORP II CAND YOU MAY WISH TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO PREJUDGE THIS IN WHAT YOU SAY TO LEGCO). THEREAFTER WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU COULD GIVE THE VIETNAMESE A FIRM INDICATION OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND, EVEN IF THE DETAILS ON INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS ARE STILL UNCLEAR.

4. THE VIETNAMESE WILL NO DOUBT TRY TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE A HARD BARGAIN. WHEN THE TIME COME WE HOPE THAT MR WILLIAMS IN HANOI WILL BE ABLE TO AVOID AS FAR AS POSSIBLE DIRECT LINKAGE TO A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF FLIGHTS, OR THE LIMITED PERIOD, ALTHOUGH WE MAY HAVE TO SETTLE INITIALLY FOR SOMETHING LESS. THAN WE WOULD LIKE.

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