CONFIDENTIAL
began discussing with UNHCR a Memorandum of Understanding covering
practical arrangements for the repatriation programme. However,
these discussions ran into difficulties over the question of the
treatment of returnees under Vietnamese law, and monitoring by UNHCR
after their return. UNHCR were optimistic that acceptable language
could be found to cover these points but the problems have not yet
been resolved.
A
B
C
4. A senior Vietnamese MFA official who took part in the talks in
London, Hoang Quoc Tin, claimed in discussion with our Embassy that
we had agreed to provide bilateral aid to Vietnam in the context of
a repatriation programme. He was told that this was not the case but he reverted to the subject when the Chargé d'Affaires (who also participated in the London talks) spoke to him on 16 November (Hanoi
telno 425). It could be a genuine misunderstanding on Tin's part, or it could be a deliberate attempt to put pressure on us for aid.
There have been other unwelcome developments. Out of a total of 433
boat people in Hong Kong who volunteered to return to Vietnam, 49
have said that they wish to withdraw their applications and a further 113 are likely to do the same. Others may well follow suit
if there are further lengthy delays in getting the repatriation programme started. (Hong Kong Telno 4281.)
5.
The Malaysians have also run into difficulties with their efforts to repatriate boat people to Vietnam. Deputy Prime Minister
Ghafar Baba believed that he had made significant progress during
negotiations with the Vietnamese in August to establish a voluntary repatriation programme. He arranged for Vietnamese officials to visit the refugee camp at Pulau Bidong at the end of October. The
visit went very badly, however, and the officials were unable to
have any sort of dialogue with the boat people in the camp. The Malaysians are now unsure how to proceed (Kuala Lumpur telno 635).
6. While our own approach has been more carefully structured and geared to take account of the boat people's sensitivities, particularly over the prospect of visits by officials from Hanoi, their experience in Malaysia is likely to have reduced the
Vietnamese Government's enthusiasm to press ahead with repatriation
even for volunteers. It is therefore essential that we do all we