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United Kingdom Mission
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JR Katzaros Esq
Your reference
MVD
HKK 243!
FCO
RECEVLO
༠༥།
Date
Out reference
P93/4
2
Thr
is 1092
14/vi
Dr Wilson
Me Quayvan
21416.
13 June 1979
DESK
WIDEX
по
UNHCR FAMILY RE-UNIFICATION PROGRAMME FROM VIETNAM
1. The meeting of representatives from Missions of potential family re-unification countries referred to in our tel 189 was held this afternoon. In this letter I will deal with the points we did not cover in that telegran.
2. de Haan said that the Vietnamese had made it clear that they would prefer to deal through an international organisation (ie UNHCR) rather than bilaterally with embassies in Hanoi. The scheme would be based on 2 lists: one would be provided by governments from names put forward by the resident Vietnamese Community of the resettlement country to CR, preferably through Missions in Geneva, though if governments found it easier, through their embassies in Hanoi. de Haan will expect governments to have a central point to which people could sub- mit names and which had made itself known as being available for that purpose.
The other list would be provided by the Vietnamese government from applications submitted to it. If a name appeared on both lists UNHCR would ask the embassy to issue a visa and then they would semi-process the applicant by inter- viewing him, checking his identify and arranging medical clearance in cooperation with the Vietnamese authorities. will have teams based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minn City who can range around the country for this purpose. If a name appeared on only one list UNHCR would be willing to take it up with either the Vietnamese or the government concerned. UNHCR would try to take account of the varying requirements and conditions laid down by each resettlement country. For example, family re-unification was defined more widely by some than by others; the Vietnamese confine the term to immediate family. I enclose a copy of the form UNHCR have drawn up showing the sort of information they will require for applications för family re-unification.
UNHCR
3. de Haan emphasised that this was a family re-unification programme and was not designed to promote emigration from Vietnam; hence neither quota overall mumbers or a time scale had been included in the memorandum. It would provide for an orderly departure and should help to create an atmosphere of confidence in which people did not feel driven to taking to the boats. He could not therefore give any estimate of how many would ultimately leave under this scheme. de Haan again said that UNHCR hoped to
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