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UNCLASSIFIED
See (267
261
P Morgan Esq
UND
FCO.
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
- 2 NOV 1978
DESK OFICER
PA
INDEX
No
RECO RY
CLE
Your reference
Our reference
Date
عالم؟
618/1
1 November 1978
to UNI)
do
DfE GHIC
UNHCR CONSULTATIONS ON INDO-CHINA, 11-12 DECEMBER
1. I enclose a copy of a letter from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to the Permanent Representative inviting the UK to send representatives to the consultations on Indo-China.
2.
As you had suggested on the telephone that we might try to get Liberia and Panama as flags of convenience states invited, I discussed with Mr Homann-Herimberg - the director in UNHCR organising the consultations - the basis on which the invitations were sent out. UNHCR had found it difficult to come up with a formula which would not involve too many states (they would like no more than 35-40), but including those states which were genuinely interested. Finally UNHCR settled for inviting the whole of the Executive Committee in the hope that a few countries, like Uganda, would not turn up; countries of first asylum in ASEAN including Korea, Japan and Vietnam; plus any other countries that showed a particular interest in being invited. Appropriate hints will be dropped with certain countries of resettlement or potential re- settlement like New Zealand and Argentina, to the effect that they might like to indicate that they would be pleased to receive an invitation. This formula however excludes Liberia and Panama. Our suggestion had been put to the High Commissioner but it was decided that to invite them at this stage was premature because UNHCR wanted to do more research on the problem. That, of course, is not a convincing explanation but I was simply not able to find out UNHCR's real objection to inviting them. It may, of course, be merely a question of numbers but no doubt the reason will emerge later. IMCO and ICEM have also been invited.
3. I asked Homann-Herimberg what kind of representation UNHCR expected and was told that in some cases it would be senior officials from capitals the US are thinking in terms of a powerful delegation to include Congressmen - but that where countries were less involved (ie us) the Mission at Permanent Representative level would suffice. We therefore recommend that the delegation comprises the Ambassador, Keith MacInnes and myself (although we may not all be able to attend, depending upon whatever else is on at the time), and possibly someone from Hong Kong. We should of course, be grateful for a brief.
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