RESTRICTED
ग
040314
TOP COPIAN 4253 Q
HUD) 243/11 & DIST?
RESTRICTED
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCOLN
TELNO 208
OF 310805Z MARCH 88
R 1986
INFO PRIORITY BANGKOK, WASHINGTON, OTTAWA
INFO ROUTINE HANOI, KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA, SINGAPORE, UKMIS NEW YORK, INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, CANBERRA, TOKYO
14
BANGKOK TELNO 168 TO FCO (NOT TO ALL): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN EAST
THAILAND
SUMMARY
1. INCREASING UNHCR CONCERN AT THAI GOVERNMENT POLICY TOWARDS REFUGEES IN EAST THAILAND. ISSUE WILL BE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL
CONSULTATIVE GROUP (ICG) AGENDA FOR 7/8 APRIL IN OTTAWA.
DETAIL
2. AT MEETING OF WESTERN AMBASSADORS IN GENEVA ON 25 MARCH, DEWEY (DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES) COMPLAINED THAT UNHCR'S CONFIDENTIAL DIPLOMATIC APPROACHES TO THE THAI GOVERNMENT ON THE
REFUGEE CRISIS IN EAST THAILAND WERE HAVING LITTLE EFFECT. HE APPEALED TO WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO SUPPORT UNHCR AND URGE THE THAI GOVERNMENT TO GIVE ASSURANCES THAT PUSH-OFFS WOULD BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND THE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM BE RESTORED. HE ALSO ASKED WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO ENCOURAGE VIETNAM TO ADOPT MORE HUMANE POLICIES AND SOLUTIONS IN RESPECT OF THE INDO-CHINA REFUGEE PROBLEM.
·
3 THE US AMBASSADOR WROTE TO MOST WESTERN AMBASSADORS IN GENEVA ON 4 MARCH MAKING SIMILAR POINTS IN SUPPORT OF UNHCR.
4. AT MEETING OF ICG MISSIONS (JAPAN WAS ABSENT) ON 29 MARCH, BAYANDOR (UNHCR) REITERATED DEWEY'S APPEAL AND SAID UNHCR FEARED THAT THE WHOLE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM IN SE ASIA MIGHT BE AT RISK. IF OTHER ASEAN COUNTRIES SAW THAT THAILAND'S HARD-LINE POLICY WAS CONDONED, AND NOT CONDEMNED, BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THEY MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO ADOPT SIMILAR MEASURES. THE THAIS HAD BEEN WARNED THAT IF THEIR POLICY DID NOT CHANGE, THE HIGH COMMISSIONER WOULD HAVE TO REPORT TO ECOSOC THAT HE COULD NOT EXERCISE HIS PROTECTION MANDATE PROPERLY AND/OR MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT
CRITICISING THAILAND. THE THAI DELEGATION HAD SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD
1
PAGE
RESTRICTED