E
12.
Initial informal discussions with UNHCR have been generally encouraging. Although some differences remain within the organisation, they appear ready to take the initiative in developing a reintegration assistance programme in Vietnam, in the first instance using their own funds. In the light of this it may not be necessary for us to contribute to an initial scheme for the first returnees, as Ministers have agreed to do. But it would be helpful to have discretion to indicate, along the lines agreed by Ministers, that if necessary HMG would be prepared to finance a small pilot scheme. This would assist the Hong Kong Government, who could face some difficulty in securing authority from Legco to contribute to an initial scheme for volunteers.
Assurances and monitoring arrangements
13. It is essential that any comprehensive programme should include satisfactory assurances from the Vietnamese that returnees will be well treated. It must also include monitoring arrangements, which we envisage would be handled by UNHCR.
14.
Boat people who return in advance of a comprehensive agreement will all be volunteers, Vietnamese citizens seeking to return to their own country.
It would seem odd to seek assurances about their treatment as a condition of their return - indeed volunteers have previously returned to Vietnam without any such assurances. I will, however, ask the Vietnamese to confirm that returnees will not be
penalised in any way. It would help us presentationally, and could encourage more to volunteer. We should not ourselves press to monitor these voluntary returns, although that may well be a feature of any UNHCR assistance scheme.
Meeting with Ministers
15. In Lord Glenarthur's absence, Mr Eggar has agreed to receive Assistant Foreign Minister Khoan, the leader of the Vietnamese delegation, at 10.00 am on Tuesday 11 October. This will provide an opportunity to emphasise at Ministerial level the importance we attach to an early and comprehensive solution to the boat people problem. Mr Eggar could stress that resolution of this issue and the withdrawal of Vietnamese forces from Cambodia would open the way to a general improvement in our bilateral relations. Detailed points for the meeting will be submitted separately.
CONFIDENTIAL
R JT McLaren