Nt
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 515
OF 171516Z AUGUST 1989
CONFIDENTIAL
122
035706
HKB
243 11
MDHIAN 2515
24 Auclaes
.
TOP COPY
DIST 7
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, HANOI, WASHINGTON, PARIS
PARIS FOR COLVIN
YOUR TELEGRAM 214: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
SUMMARY
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1 HOCKE WILLING TO INCREASE COUNSELLING STAFF BUT LACK OF FINANCE REMAINS A PROBLEM. MONITORING OF NON-VOLUNTEER RETURNEES NOT RULED OUT BUT DECISION DEPENDS ON TERMS OF ANGLO-VIETNAM AGREEMENT AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF RETURN (IE NO USE OF FORCE).
DETAIL
2. I SAW HOCKE ON 17 AUGUST AND SPOKE IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR TUR AND YOUR TELEGRAM 284 TO HANOI. 1 ALSO USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE PROBLEMS OF FINANCE (HONG KONG TELEGRAM 2739) AND THE PHILIPPINE PROCESSING CENTRE (MY TELNO 499).
3. ON COUNSELLING, HOCKE SAID THAT TEN UNHCR STAFF WERE ENGAGED ON THIS TASK AT PRESENT AND HE WAS AWAITING PROPOSALS FROM UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG ON INCREASING THIS NUMBER. HE ENTIRELY SHARED YOUR VIEW THAT THE AIM WAS TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATE OF VOLUNTEERS FROM AMONG THE SCREENED OUT. HOWEVER, UNHCR'S ABILITY TO INCREASE THEIR STAFF DEPENDED CRITICALLY ON THE SUCCESS OF THEIR US DOLLARS 32M APPEAL FOR FUNDS. THIS WAS GOING VERY SLOWLY (HE PROMISED TO GIVE DETAILS OF THE RESPONSE SO FAR, WHICH WILL BE FAXED TO FCO AND HONG KONG).
4. HOCKE RETURNED TO THE THEME HE HAD STRESSED IN LONDON VIZ. THE NEED TO MAKE LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE CAMPS AS HUMANE AS POSSIBLE, ON THE BASIS THAT, IN UNHCR'S EXPERIENCE, BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS PRODUCE A PSYCHOLOGICAL ATMSOPHERE MORE CONDUCIVE TO PRODUCING VOLUNTEERS. HE HOPED THAT PRIORITY WOULD BE GIVEN TO MOVING THE 1500 BOAT PEOPLE AT PRESENT ON FERRIES TO LAND-BASED CAMPS.
5. ON MONITORING NON-VOLUNTEER RETURNEES AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL IN
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