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VIETNAM
In this part of the discussion, only the Secretary-General, the High Commissioner, Mr. Arnaout and the undersigned were present.
The High Commissioner introduced the subject by thanking the Secretary-General for his role in the International Conference on Indo-Chinese Refugees and recalled that the Comprehensive Plan adopted in June included no automatic link between the effort to promote voluntary repatriation and alternative return mechanisms. However, he said, the United Kingdom was pushing for involuntary repatriation which would be a challenge to fundamental UNHCR principles as well as to its capacity to continue to fully participate in the implementation of the Plan. He said that it would be up to the Steering Committee established in Bangkok to determine other possible ways of dealing with the problem and stressed his preoccupation with the bilateral "deal" between the United Kingdom and Vietnam over the non-voluntary repatriation of boat people. He added that the fist group would be sent back soon, if UNHCR failed to persuade them to return voluntarily. If this happened, he said, UNHCR and the United Nations should oppose it, stressing that if Hong Kong were to start, other ASEAN countries would follow. The international community, he indicated, should try and resolve this problem "calmly". However, certain parties argued that boat people came from a miserable country and should go back at any cost. Fortunately, the United States and France had been very clear at the Conference and the United Kingdom and Hong Kong should understand that this problem would find a solution before 1997. London wanted to "get rid" of the difficulty under pressure from its Legislative Council, although Kong Kong, contrary to what it claimed, had not reached a saturation point and could still receive more people, it being understood that they would not remain on its territory.
In reply, the Secretary-General stated that this situation was very annoying and should it be useful, he would be prepared to make a representation either at the New York or London level.
Dur de Chill
Sergio Vieira de Mello
Head
Regional Bureau for Asia and Oceania
11 July 1989
cc.:
HC, MM Arnaout, Bayandor, Mouchet, Vieira de Mello Mr. R. Ahmed
Mr. S.A.M.S. Kibria
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