BY FAX
United Kingdom Mission
37-39 rue de Vermont 1211 Geneva 20
Telex 27956
Telegrams Prodrome Geneva
Telephone 34 38 00 33 23 85
DH Colvin Esq
SEAD
FCO
LONDON SW1
Your reference
Our reference
Date
24 October 1988
Dear Dand,
INDO-CHINESE ASYLUM SEEKERS: INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS: BANGKOK : 27/28 OCTOBER
1.
I attach an outline agenda and an informal background note prepared by UNHCR's Bureau for Asia and Oceania for the meeting in Bangkok on 27/28 October.
2.
The meeting is intended as the first of a series to consider Indo-Chinese Asylum Seekers and to prepare the ground for the preparatory conference and eventually the international conference next year on the problem.
3.
The background note contains no surprises, concentrating on the critical issues of first asylum, ODP, voluntary repatriation and return of failed asylum seekers, determination of refugee status and re-settlement. UNHCR emphasise the importance of the UK/Hong Kong/UNHCR agreement in providing a possible model for determination of refugee status and repatriation of volunteers and those who fail, with limited non-developmental assistance to ease re- integration into the country of origin. Rightly, UNHCR emphasise that one of the most intractable problems is finding a solution for rejected cases. Until the country of origin accepts back failed asylum seekers, UNHCR emphasise the need either for the country of asylum to shelter the rejected cases (with international monitoring of their conditions) or possibly the establishment of a Regional Holding Centre.
4. As time is short, I am sending a copy of this letter by fax. I should be grateful if you could also copy it in London to Christopher Hum. To facilitate your briefing task, I am also faxing a copy to Andrew George in Bangkok and Mike Hanson in Hong Kong.
CC:
CO Hum Esq, HONG KONG DEPT, FCO
A N George Esq, BANGKOK M Hanson Esq, Hong Kong
Tom's
avin
G W Hewitt
·