TNAG-2401-FCO40-3488-Vietnamese-migrants-Orderly-Repatriation-Programme-(ORP)-1992 — Page 163

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137072 MDHIAN 5440

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 673

OF 04120OZ MARCH 92

CONFIDENTIAL

HKA 020/14

fa

сте

་

प

413

INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, UKREP BRUSSELS

VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: ORP II

1. WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH LORD CAITHNESS THE WAY AHEAD ON ORP II, IN THE LIGHT OF HANOI'S LATEST REPORT CHANOI TELNO 142). WE HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN GIVING THOUGHT HERE TO HOW WE SHOULD

REACT TO VIETNAMESE PRESSURE TO MAKE US GIVE A DIRECT FINANCIAL

CONTRIBUTION TO GET ORP II MOVING.

OR

2. WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD NOT/NOT BE PRACTICAL

POLITICALLY SENSIBLE AT THIS JUNCTURE TO ASK FINANCE COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO GET THE VIETNAMESE TO LAUNCH ORP II. OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT TO SEEK MONEY FOR THIS FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE BEFORE ORP II WAS PROPERLY UNDERWAY WOULD RUN A VERY STRONG RISK OF A REBUFF. EXCO, WHO I CONSULTED AGAIN INFORMALLY ON 3 MARCH, WERE STRONGLY OF THE VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE WRONG TO GO FOR FUNDING TO PAY VIETNAM IN ADVANCE TO TAKE BACK ITS OWN PEOPLE. SOME PAYMENT, DIRECTED E.G. AT RESETTLEMENT CENTRES, AFTER A PROGRAMME WAS IN OPERATION, WOULD BE A DIFFERENT MATTER AND WOULD BE MORE REALISTIC IN LEGCO TERMS.

3. IF A PAYMENT IN ADVANCE SCHEME WERE PUT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE NOW, SOME MEMBERS WOULD PROBABLY REJECT SUCH A PROPOSAL ALTOGETHER. OTHERS (PARTICULARLY THE UNITED DEMOCRATS) WOULD ARGUE THAT HMG SHOULD MEET THE FULL BILL. THE END RESULT MIGHT WELL BE THAT WE WOULD FAIL TO GET THE PROPOSAL THROUGH. WE WOULD HAVE WHETTER VIETNAM'S

APPETITE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SATISFY IT. GETTING FUNDS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE SCHEME LATER ON WOULD BECOME THAT MUCH HARDER.

4. WE BELIEVE THAT THE BEST APPROACH REMAINS TO PRESS THE

VIETNAMESE TO AGREE TO BEGIN ORP II AS ALREADY PROVIDED FOR IN THE 29 OCTOBER SOU (EITHER AS A FULL AGREEMENT ON MODALITIES OR, FAILING THAT, BASED ON AD HOC AGREEMENT TO INDIVIDUAL FLIGHTS). ONCE ORP II IS PROPERLY WORKING, WE BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE A REASONABLE PROSPECT OF SECURING FINANCE COMMITTEE AGREEMENT TO SOME FORM OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FORM HONG KONG.

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CONFIDENTIAL