TNAG-2872-FCO40-4126-Hong-Kong-repatriation-of-ex-China-Vietnamese-illegal-immigr-1993 — Page 181

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OF ECVII'S PERHAPS ALL THOSE WHO HAVE ARRIVED SO FAR COMPLETION OF CHECKS, AS AN EXEMPLARY MEASURE.

3.

BEFORE THE

IT WILL PROBABLY NOT BE EASY TO SECURE CHINESE AGREEMENT TO ANY OF THESE. OPTION (A) MAY WELL BE A NON-STARTER. OPTION (B) MAY AT LEAST BE WORTH PUTTING TO THE CHINESE. WE THINK OPTION (C) WOULD HAVE THE MOST CHANCE OF SUCCESS. OUR INCLINATION IS TO PROPOSE (B) AND (C) TOGETHER, WITH (C) AS A PRELUDE TO THE LONGER TERM ARRANGEMENT IN (B).

4 =

GRATEFUL FOR VIEWS ON THESE PROPOSALS, PLUS ANY FURTHER SUGGESTIONS, DESKBY 160100Z, SO THAT WE CAN TAKE ACTION ON 16 JULY (ASSUMING THE CHINESE DO NOT RESPOND TO US BEFORE THEN). ONCE AGAIN, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL IF PEKING COULD TAKE PARALLEL ACTION.

PATTEN

YYYY

ADVANCE

8

DISTRIBUTION

8

.VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS IN HK

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR MASEFIELD

SEAD//HD

HKD//HD

NEWS D//HDX?

PRESS OFFICE NO 10.

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