CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 2431 P.A.
RECEIVCO
1. A
No. 51
854
CONFIDENTIAL
F HANOI 3106282 MAY 75
TO PRIORITY FOO
TELNO 153 OF 31 MAY
DESK O INDEX
PA
PGS
INFO PRICKITY UKTIS GENEVA HONG KONG (COVERNOR) WASHINGTON
ROUTINE BANGKOK KUALA LUMCUR MANILA AND CANBERRA
VISIT OF DEPUTY UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES.
1.
THE DEPUTY UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES,
DE HAAN, VISITED VIETNAM 25-31 MAY. HE
PRIEFED SOME WESTERN HEADS OF MISSION ON 29 MAY.
HE COMMENTED THAT UNHCR AND THE VIETNAMESE HAD AGREED IN MARCH TO IMPLEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE A PROGRAMME TO FACIL- ITATE THE MOVEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM (OUR TELNO SAVING 3 REFERS). CERTAIN COUNTRIES HAD RECENTLY ACCUSED VIETNAY OF FAILING TO HONOUR HER ASSURANCES 42017 THE REGULATION OF THE REFUGEE EXODUS, THIS WAS UNJUST AS THE PROGRAME WAS NOT DUE TO START UNTIL JUNE. THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT A WORKABLE PROGRAMME COULD BE IMPLEMENTED. UNHCR AND THE VIETNAMESE HAD REACHED AN UNDERSTANDING OVER THE GENERAL APPROACH TO SUCH A PROGRAMME. AN VIDE MENDIRE WAS BEING PREPARED ALTHOUGH THE TEXT HAD
T YET BEEN FINALISED. THERE HAD BEEN LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS ASCUT THE MECHANICS OF THE PROGRAMME. UNHCR AND THE VIET- NAMESE GOVERNMENT WOULD EACH ESTABLISH WORKING GROUPS
:
HICH WOULD CARRY OUT THE PROGRAMME JOINTLY. UNHCR PER- SONNEL WOULD BE BASED IN HO CHI MINH CITY AS WELL AS HANOI. THE WORKING GROUPS WOULD PREPARE SEPARATE LISTS
OF THOSE ISHING TO LEAVE. DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN
HANCI COULD HELP BY SUBTITTING TO UNHCR
DETAILS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN CRANTED ENTRY VISAS. IT
AS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY HOW MANY REFUGEES WOULD LEAVE UNDER
THE PROGRAMME. HOWEVER HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT IT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL AND REDUCE THE NUMBER LEAVING BY BOAT.
CONFIDENTIAL
12.