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TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 735
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RECEIVER
AUL 1993
1:SOISTRY
Action Taken
OF 041609Z AUGUST 93
UKREA
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREPILG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
(22)
132141
MDLOAN 8932
OUR TELNO 734 (NOT TO ALL): EX-CHINA VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
1. MR LENNOX-BOYD SUMMONED THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES THIS AFTERNOON TO RAISE THE ABOVE SUBJECT. HE READ OUT A SPEAKING NOTE (TEXT IN MIFT) AND HANDED OVER A COPY.
2.
THE
ZHENG UNDERTOOK TO PASS THE MESSAGE ON TO PEKING.
CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD ASSURE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT IT WAS ADOPTING A CO-OPERATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THIS PROBLEM.
3. MR LENNOX-BOYD EMPHASISED THAT THE MATTER WAS URGENT AND A STRONG SIGNAL WAS NEEDED TO STEM THE FLOW OF ECVIIS. THE LONGER THE FLOW LASTED, THE BIGGER WOULD BE THE RESETTLEMENT PROBLEM FOR CHINA. IT WAS IN THE INTERESTS OF BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA TO SEE
THE ECVII PROBLEM RESOLVED QUICKLY.
4.
ZHENG SAID THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WERE VERY CONCERNED AND WERE MAKING QUOTE INTENSIVE ENQUIRIES UNQUOTE. THEY HAD MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THOSE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS QUOTE PROVED TO HAVE COME FROM THE CHINESE MAINLAND UNQUOTE WOULD BE REPATRIATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ONCE THEIR IDENTITY HAD BEEN VERIFIED. CHINA HOPED THAT THE BRITISH HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WOULD ALSO TAKE
EFFECTIVE MEASURES.
5. COMMENT: THE STANDARD LINE PROMISING FULL CO-OPERATION HAS NOT CHANGED. READING BETWEEN THE LINES, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CHINESE ARE MERELY TRYING TO SPEED UP THEIR NORMAL PROCEDURES: THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAVE CONSIDERED OUR REQUEST FOR AN IMMEDIATE ONE-OFF REPATRIATION IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE FURTHER ECVIIS. THIS OPTION MIGHT USEFULLY BE RE-EMPHASISED IN CONTACTS
IN PEKING.
HURD
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