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HKB 2+3
046171 MDHIAN 0861
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FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 399
OF 26134OZ JUNE
AND TO INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, HONG KONG
Q
HONG KONG TELNO 2066: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REINTEGRATION
ASSISTANCE
1.
HONG KONG IN TUR SUGGESTED THAT REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE (OFFERED ON A BILATERAL BASIS OUTSIDE THE CPA) TO FACILITATE THE RETURN TO VIETNAM OF NON-VOLUNTEERS FROM HONG KONG MIGHT HAVE TO BE COVERED BY A BILATERAL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE SRV. HONG KONG ALSO SUGGESTED THAT ICM MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN MONITORING CONDITIONS OF RETURNEES IN VIETNAM.
2.
VIEIRA DE MELLO (UNHCR) DISCUSSED THESE ISSUES WITH US ON 23 JUNE (PARA 4 OF MY TELNO 392) AND HAS SINCE DRAWN OUR ATTENTION TO A PARALLEL UNHCR/LAOS SCHEME.
3.
IN AN MOU AGREED IN VIENTIANE ON 6 OCTOBER 1986, UNHCR AND LAOS AGREED THAT UNHCR WOULD MANAGE REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE AND MONITORING OF LAOTIAN REFUGEES ON RETURN TO LAOS AND EXTEND THESE POLICIES ON A GOOD OFFICES BASIS TO THOSE LAOTIANS WHO FELL OUTSIDE UNHCR'S MANDATE, BUT WHOSE CONDITIONS OF RETURN PARALLELED THOSE OF THE REFUGEES. (FULL TEXT OF MOU BY FAX TO SEAD AND HONG KONG).
UNCHR AND LAOS AGREED ON THE FOLLOWING MODALITIES:
(A) UNHCR BUREAU IN VIENTIANE WOULD PASS OVER TO THE LAOTIAN AUTHORITIES LISTS (DRAWN UP BY THE THAI AUTHORITIES) OF THOSE NON-REFUGEES WHO WISHED TO RETURN TO LAOS.
(B) THE DATE OF RETURN WOULD BE SETTLED BETWEEN THE THAI AND LAOTIAN GOVERNMENTS, USING UNHCR AS AN INTERMEDIARY.
(C) THOSE RETURNED WOULD BE TAKEN TO THE THAI/LAOS BORDER BY THE THAI AUTHORITIES AND WOULD BE RECEIVED BY THE LAO AUTHORITIES AT THE BORDER CROSSING. UNHCR WOULD NOT BE PRESENT AT THIS HANDOVER.
(D) SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS, UNHCR WOULD GIVE TO THE LAOTIAN AUTHOITIES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ON THE SAME BASIS AS THAT FOR REFUGEES, TO COVER THE COSTS OF RECEPTION AND ACCOMODATION IN
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