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anything but voluntary repatriation at this stage. Most recently he prepared an additional paragraph (passed to us in strict confidence
by Vieira de Mello) for inclusion in the Note on International protection for the meeting of EXCOM in September, in an attempt to pre-empt any bilateral deportation exercise between Hong Kong and
Vietnam. Vieira de Mello's assessment is that we or the Americans
(or both) will need to argue Hocke round.
13. Mr Gillmore will be visiting Washington on 14 August to reiterate our case to the Americans and to try to win their acquiescence, at least, in our repatriation programme. He will be
arguing that it is in the interests of the US as well as ourselves
that UNHCR should accept a monitoring role, on a a 'good offices'
basis, for all who return to Vietnam, whether they have volunteered
or not. We will maintain this pressure on the Americans.
14. Some well-disposed NGOS might also be persuaded to argue in favour of a monitoring role for UNHCR, and to apply appropriate
pressure.
15. A further direct and high level approach to Hocke, reiterating the arguments we are using with the Americans could be useful.
Timing would be important; but the change of FCO Ministers might
afford an opportunity for a letter to Hocke to reaffirm HMG's
anxiety about this problem. Strongest amongst our arguments is that
our arrangements agreed with, and assurances secured from the
Vietnamese would provide an orderly and humane precedent (similar to
the repatriation programme for LAOS in which UNHCR is involved) for
other places of first asylum to follow, and should be endorsed as a
model by the ICIR Steering Committee in October, lest other,
possibly less scrupulous, repatriation programmes are embarked
upon.
16. NGOs: Both Oxfam and Save the Children Fund are considering
expanding their activities in Vietnam, but neither they nor any
other British NGO have resident representation there at the moment.
Only the French charity, CIDSE, have permanent staff, based in
Hanoi. Any approach to NGOs for assistance with monitoring would
need to be handled with care. We would need to explain what had