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NOTE FOR THE FILE
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Reference...
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CALL BY MR JOHNATHON MOORE, ASSISTANT UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR REFUGEES, STATE DEPARTMENT
1.
Mr Moore called on the Ambassador yesterday, 21 January. He was visiting Geneva for the informal EXCOM on 22 January, from where he would travel to Vienna for discussion with UNWRA to talk about the situation in the occupied territories.
2.
After initial courtesies, Mr Moore, in the context of Indo-Chinese refugees, said that there were encouraging signs on the ODP programme; there was even a possibility of movement by the Vietnamese on "political prisoners", both those still held in the re-education camps and those recently released. Recent actions by the Vietnam Government were better than their words. Their resolution still had to be tested.
3.
Mr Moore also said that relations with the Thai Government had improved; their performance was better both in terms of processing refugees and their security. Although corruption was still rampant particularly in the border camps and there were continuing security problems, the Thais were adopting more positively the principles of first asylum. This reflected a change since autumn 1987 in the policies and attitude of the Supreme Command and officials in the Ministry of the Interior. There might be occasional reverses, but there seemed hope of continuing gradual improvement.
4.
Mr Moore commented, however, that the US budget problems, which would reduce the number of refugees re-settled in the USA, could upset the Thais again. Mr Moore stressed that it would not affect those catered for under ODP arrangements.
5.
Mr Moore commented that the British contributions to the ICG meeting in Geneva in October 1987 had been very good. He welcomed the British presence but commented personally that it seemed unlikely that the ICG members would invite the UK to become a full member. There were four or five other candidates and the ICG membership did not wish to over-enlarge the forum. It was also true that the UK's interest was predominantly that of the refugees in Hong Kong, on which the US (if not others) thought that the UK was not doing enough itself.
CODE 18-77
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