RESTRICTED
167236
MDHIAN 6485
ASSISTANCE SEEMED REASONABLE AND UNLIKELY TO CAUSE UNHCR SERIOUS PROBLEMS. VIETNAMESE DEMANDS WERE IN LINE WITH HELP OFFERED BY UNHCR ELSEWHERE. UNHCR WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER QUESTION OF APPEAL TO DONORS FOR FUNDS IN DUE COURSE, BUT COULD COVER COSTS OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM OWN RESOURCES IN PRELIMINARY STAGES.
·
9. WE MADE CLEAR TO VIEIRA DE MELLO THAT UNHCR IN OUR VIEW, WAS BEST PLACED TO BE CHANNEL FOR ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. VIETNAMESE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY ONE COUNTRY OFF AGAINST ANOTHER. VIEIRA DE MELLO AGREED, BUT HOPED THAT WE WOULD NOT EXCLUDE POSSIBLILTY AT LATER STAGE OF USING NGOS AS IMPLEMENTATING PARTNERS OR MAKING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE DIRECT TO NGOS, WHO WERE READY TO PLAY THEIR PART IN VIETNAM.
COMMENT
10. VIEIRA DE MELLO APPEARS TO HAVE COVERED MANY OF OUR CONCERNS WITH VIETNAMESE. HE CONFIRMED THAT OUR BILATERAL CONTACTS WERE NOT CUTTING ACROSS UNHCR INTERESTS. WE NEEDED, HOWEVER, TO STAY IN CLOSE CONTACT. HE WAS GRATEFUL FOR OUTLINE OF OUR APPROACH AT BILATERAL NEXT WEEK (PARA 3 OF YOUR TELNO 244) AND LOOKED FORWARD TO A FULL ACCOUNT IN DUE COURSE.
11. VIEIRA DE MELLO MADE CLEAR TO US THAT THERE ARE CONFLICTING VIEWS WITHIN UNHCR ON INVOLVEMENT IN VBP RETURNEE PROGRAMME. UNHCR LEGAL ADVISERS ARE ARGUING AGAINST ON GROUNDS THAT MANY OF THOSE RETURNED, EVEN ON VOLUNTARY BASIS, WILL BE SCREENED OUT AND, AS SUCH, FALL OUTSIDE UNHCR MANDATE. VIEIRA DE MELLO HOPED THAT WE COULD HELP ON THIS BY REFERRING TO REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS AND OTHERS OF CONCERN TO UNHCR, RATHER THAN FAILED ASYLUM SEEKERS OR SCREENED OUT.
SANKEY
YYYY
3
PAGE RESTRICTED