GR 250
CYPHER CAT/A
F. VIENTIANE 120730%
CONFIDENTIAL
AKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
14 SEP 1978
(184)
ERRY
CONFIDENTIAL
INDEX
IPA
Action Ten
مد
CLE
TO ROUTINE F.C.0. TELNO.150 OF 12 SEPTEMBER
AND INFO ROUTINE TO BANGKOK AND UKDEL GENEVA,
REFUGEES
MR HARTLING THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES HAS JUST FINISHED A TWO DAY VISIT TO LAOS. THIS FOLLOWED A TOUR OF REFUGEE CAMPS IN THAILAND.
HIS
2. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A LONG TALK WITH MR HARTLING. HE TOLD ME THAT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF HIS VISIT WAS TO TRY AND PERSUDADE THE LAO AUTHORITIES TO MAKE A STRONG EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE OF THE REFUGEES PRESENTLY IN THAILAND, TO RETURN TO LAOS, AR GUMENT WAS THAT IF THE LAOS WELCOMED WITHOUT RECRIMINATION OR RETRIBUTION AN INITIAL GROUP, MADE EVERY EFFORT TO RESETTLE THEM IN APPROPRIATE EMPLOYMENT AND WERE SEEN SO TO DO, THOSE REMAINING IN CAMPS IN THAILAND WITHOUT ANY REAL HOPE OF RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHARE WOULD START TO DRIBBLE BACK.
3. 1 HAVE MY DOUBTS. A CONSTANT FLOW OF NEW REFUGEES ARE ARRIVING IN THE CAMPS IN THAILAND AND THEIR ACCOUNTS OF LIFE IN LAOB WHETHER EXAGGERATED OR NOT MUST BE PRETTY DISCOURAGING OTHERWISE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE FLED.
4.
FURTHERMORE, MR HARTLING ONLY HAD ACCESS TO A NON-AUTHORITATIVE PART OF THE LAO GOVERNMENT. APART FROM COURTESY CALLS ON SOUVAN- NUVONG THE PRESIDENT AND PHOUNE THE FOREIGN MINISTER HE SPENT THE WHOLE OF HIS TIME WITH KAMPHAY BOUPHA, THE VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. NOT ONE OF THESE THREE HAS ANY GREAT WEIGHT HERE.
5. I HAVE AN ARRANGEMENT TO SEE THE LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE LATER THIS WEEK AND HE HAS PROMISED ME A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE VISIT.
STEWART
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
UND
FRD
UND/ODM
OID
SEAD
IPD
HK & GD
NEWS D
CABINET OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL