CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 03113OZ FCO
TELNO 1396
OF 031015Z MAY 89
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
нко 24319
(189
032344
MDHIAN 3083
OPY
Q DIST ?
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, TOKYO, WASHINGTON
188
YOUR TELNO 940: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE
1 OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE REINTEGRATION CENTRE IDEA IS THAT IT AMOUNTS TO A REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE (RHC) TO BE SITED IN VIETNAM DURING THE CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE MEETING IN MID APRIL IN GENEVA, MOST PARTICIPANTS ACCEPTED THAT AN RHC WAS A USEFUL STEPPING STONE TO REPATRIATION.
2. WE SEE NO OBJECTION, AND SOME ADVANTAGE, IN SITING A RHC IN VIETNAM IF REPEAT IF THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED SOON. HANOI WILL BE BEST PLACED TO JUDGE WHAT THE PROSPECTS ARE. SEEN FROM HERE, AND TAKING ACCOUNT OF OUR OTHER EXCHANGES WITH THE VIETNAMESE, THE CHANCES DO NOT SEEM GOOD. IF THAT IS SO, I SEE IT AS IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD NOT NEGLECT MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO ESTABLISH A RHC IN AREAS WHERE HMG AND OTHERS HAVE SOME LEVERAGE IN PURSUIT OF A HARDER-TO-OBTAIN OBJECTIVE IN VIETNAM.
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3 I MUST EMPHASISE THE POINT THAT, WITH THE CURRENT FLOOD OF ARRIVALS, WE CANNOT AFFORD LONG DRAWN-OUR NEGOTIATIONS ON GETTING IN PLACE MEASURES TO DEAL WITH NON-REFUGEES. THIS NEED FOR SPEED HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR WHETHER AND HOW TO INVOLVE UNHCR. AS I SEE IT, UNHCR INVOLVEMENT WILL ONLY HAVE SUFFICIENT IMPETUS IF IT COMES WITH THE PERSONAL COMMITMENT OF HOCKE AND IS BACKED WITH STRONG SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENTS.
4. ON THE NEED FOR URGENT ACTION ON AN RHC PLEASE SEE ALSO MY SEPARATE COMMENTS IN MIFT ON THE AMERICAN VIEW AS REPORTED IN WASHINGTON TELNO 1213.
WILSON
YYYY
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