18
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 2+3/28
017503
MDHIAN 9570
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO DESKBY 16100OZ FCO
TELNO 368
OF 160826Z JUNE
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI
MY TELNO 365: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: ICIR: FIRST MEETING OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE (SC1): RESETTLEMENT
1. SC1 AGREED TO CONVENE A MEETING OF EXPERTS TO DISCUSS RESETTLEMENT CRITERIA WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. THAILAND'S OFFER TO HOST THE MEETING IN BANGKOK WAS ACCEPTED. A FINAL DATE HAS YET
TO BE FIXED.
2. THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WILL BE TO MATCH RESETTLEMENT OFFERS TO CASELOADS, AND IN PARTICULAR TO FIND RESETTLEMENT PLACES FOR THE DIFFICULT CASES, INCLUDING THE LONG STAYERS, OLD AND YOUNG, HANDICAPPED AND OTHERS WHO DO NOT SATISFY THE EXISTING NATIONAL CRITERIA OF RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. THE UNHCR ASKED RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO URGENTLY REVIEW THEIR CRITERIA TO GIVE THE BANGKOK MEETING A CLEAR INDICATION OF WHICH VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN THESE DIFFICULT CATEGORIES THEY MIGHT BE PREPARED TO TAKE. IT WAS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO COMPILE UP-TO-DATE PROFILES OF CAMP INMATES AWAITING RESETTLEMENT. UNHCR UNDERTOOK TO DRAW ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THEIR
BANGKOK OFFICE CAND OTHER REGIONAL OFFICES) WHICH ALREADY HAS AN EXTENSIVE DATABASE COVERING THOSE IN THE THAI CAMPS. GIVEN THE SHORTNESS OF TIME AVAILABLE UNHCR IN HONG KONG WOULD APPRECIATE
ANY ASSISTANCE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IN
UP-DATING CASELOAD PROFILES FOR HONG KONG.
3. GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ASK THE HOME OFFICE TO ATTEND THE BANGKOK MEETING, AND TO ENSURE THAT RECONSIDERATION OF THEIR RESETTLEMENT CRITERIA IS SUFFICIENTLY ADVANCED BY THAT TIME. IN PRESSING FOR
RAPID PROGRESS IN THE BALANCED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CPA WITH THE
PRIME AIM OF ACHIEVING EARLY REPATRIATION OF THE SCREENED OUT TO VIETNAM, WE MUST ALSO FULFIL OUR COMMITMENT ON RESETTLEMENT. WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO REPORT PROGRESS TO THE SECOND MEETING OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, BANGKOK ON 24 JULY.
SANKEY