CONFIDENTIAL

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO

2218

OF 04110OZ JULY 89

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI

36

071545 MDHIAN 1876

OUR TELNO 2176 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : REPATRIATION

WE HAVE SEEN A REUTERS REPORT FROM GENEVA DATED 3 JULY WHICH QUOTES VIEIRA DE MELLO AS SAYING THAT UNHCR WILL PLAY NO/NO PART IN THE FORCED REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, BUT THAT QUOTE IF FORCE IS NOT USED AGAINST THEM, AND THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT UNDER A BILATERAL AGREEMENT GRANTS THEM ALL GUARANTEES, UNHCR WOULD TREAT THEM IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS THOSE RETURNING

HOME VOLUNTARILY UNQUOTE.

2.

IN CONNECTION WITH PLANNING THE FIRST REPATRIATION OF NON- REFUGGES FROM HONG KING IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THE EXTENT OF THE ROLE THE UNHCR ARE PREPARED TO PLAY. THE REUTERS REPORT, IF ACCURATE, SUGGESTS A NEW AND ENCOURAGING DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY ON THE PART OF UNHCR TOWARDS ARRANGEMENTS FOR MANDATORY RETURN. THIS IS WELCOME NEWS.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF UKMIS GENEVA HAVE BEEN ABLE

YET TO SOUND OUT THE UNHCR ON UNDERTAKING POST-RETURN MONITORING AND DISTRIBUTION OF REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE IN VIETNAM, AS PROPOSED IN TUR.

3.

WILSON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

115

ΜΑΙΝ

109

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

LIMITED

INFO D

FINANCE D

HKD

RMD

SEAD

PS

UND

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL

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