GRS 220
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO DESKBY 081500Z FCO
TELNO 391
OF 081402Z JULY 1986
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG,
MOURY
INFO PRIORITY HANGI, KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK
@
YOUR TELNO 1046 TO HONG KONG AND TELECON WALKER/LEEKS (HKD) JULY: VIETNAMESE REFUGEEO
1. UNHCR'S OWN INFORMAL THINKING AT WORKING LEVEL, WHICH HAS EMERGED IN RECENT CONVERSATIONS, IS ALSO EVOLVING ON THE WHOLE QUESTION OF THE STATUS OF INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES''
2. THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AT PRESENT TAKES THE VIEW, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE 1979, THAT PERSONS WHO LEAVE INDO-CHINA SHOULD SE REGARDED AS REFUGEES. BUT UNHCR BELIEVE THAT SOME RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES (POSSIBLY US OR AUSTRALIA) MAY PRESS AT THE OCTOBER 1986 UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EXCOM) MEETING FOR THE WHOLE STATUS ISSUE TO BE RE-EXAMINED.
3. AT WORKING LEVEL UNHCR ARE THINKING OVER VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES. THESE INCLUDE:-
(A) RECLASSIFYING THOSE WHO LEAVE INDO-CHINA, PERHAPS FOLLOWING A FURTHER MEETING ALONG THE LINES OF THE ONE HELD IN 1979. THIS COULD
INVOLVE A DIVISION OF THOSE LEAVING INTO GENUINE REFUGEES AND ECONOMIC MIGRANTS.,
(3) CONSIDERATION OF A SCREENING PROCEDURE SIMILAR TO THE ONE USED FOR LAOTIANS ENTERING THAILAND.;
(C) EXPLORING FURTHER THE VIEWS OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES REGARDING TREATMENT OF ANY PERSONS RETURNED THERE., AND
(D) ESTABLISHING DETENTION CENTRES WHERE PERSONS CLASSIFIED AS **NON-REFUGEES'' COULD BE KEPT PENDING THE OUTCOME OF CONTACTS WITH
VIETNAM.
4. WE EMPHASISE THAT FOREGOING IS ONLY UNHCR'S THINKING AT WORKING LEVEL. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE HIGH COMMISSIONER WILL TAKE
THE SAME LINE WHEN THESE ISSUES ARE PUT TO HIM.
MOSS
LIMITED
HILD
HKK 243/10
RECEIVE
INL2
DE.
- 9 JUL 1986
-T
SEHO LIND
MR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
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