indicated that they are willing to study proposals that UNHCR or the agencies concerned might sumbit. The role of NGOs in the information and awareness campaign, especially in major resettlement countries, should equally be supported and enhanced.
IV. Alternative and interim measures
25. Although they have reaffirmed their commitment to the promotion, in the first instance, of voluntary repatriation, several governments have indicated to UNHCR that they wish progress to be achieved before the International Conference and, preferably, agreement to be reached at Conference on a more precise time-frame for the examination and implementation of the alternatives mentioned in paragraph 6(c) of the draft CPA for the return of persons determined not to be refugees.
26 Further references to a Regional Holding Centre have also been made, although no actual clarification has been provided to UNHCR of the various issues that emerged at the previous Co-ordinating Committee in this connection.
27 A further suggestion has been made recently that a new Resettlement Centre be established in the region, or that an existing one be expanded, so as to provide a location to which pre-cut-off date groups could be transferred to await resettlement, thus reducing the burden on first asylum countries and Hong Kong which are experiencing large influxes of asylum-seekers.
V. Laotians
28 It is recalled that the voluntary repatriacion programme to the Lao People's Democratic Republic was established at the end of 1980 with the return of the first group of volunteers. It was further expanded to include screened-out cases through an Aide-Mémoire signed with the Lao Government in October 1986. Since the inception of the progr umme, more than 3,700 persons have returned under UNHCR auspices. In addition, it is estimated that some 15,000 have returned spontaneously.
29. In order to expand the programme and better plan for systematic returns, a joint meeting (Thailand/LPDR/UNHCR) took place in Udorn on 8 and 9 May 1989 to review repatriation procedures. The following are the main conclusions of that meeting:
The Lao People's Democratic Republic has announced its readiness to accept back 150 persons within 30 days of the submission by UNHCR of lists of applicants and biodata forms (the proportion of voluntary repatriants and "screened-out" for each group will be 2/3 to 1/3). It should be noted that 160 persons have already returned during the month of May.
The four crossing points, as well as the four reception centres, now used are considered sufficient for the time being.
In order to cope with the backlog in applications (approximately 750 persons) the Lao authorities agree in principle to give priority to the return of refugees for whom submissions have already been made.