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re-confirmed that voluntary repatriation was the best way of solving the problem and proposed giving priority to this programme. He said that the Vietnamese side had it in mind to receive two voluntary
But he also stated that Vietnam would continue groups a month. accepting those who, while not volunteers, were not opposed to repatriation. As a principle, however, forced repatriation was unacceptable. The first operation to return non-volunteers on 12 December 1989 had been a test, based on which Mr Vu Khoan thought there were four requirements for greater cooperation:
a) A high level of agreement between British and Vietnamese public opinion. Mr Vu Khoan hoped that British public opinion would be favourable towards appropriate repatriation.
b)
Greater agreement among the international community. was important to take world opinion into account.
It
c) Monitoring, in order to achieve better understanding and respect for the dignity of returnees. Mr Vu Khoan was thinking in terms of a role for the UNHCR, both in Hong Kong and Vietnam, although he was unsure whether the UNHCR would agree to this.
d) Resettlement in Vietnam. Mr Vu Khoan commented that those who returned on 12 December 1989 were not finding it easy to settle. They spent only two days in a transit centre on arrival in Hanoi, but housing was not yet ready for them. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare also had its problems. Mr Vu Khoan thought that British non-government organisations (NGOs) could have a role to play in creating favourable conditions for the return and resettlement of boat people. This in turn could encourage more volunteers.
28. In reply to Mr Vu Khoan's comments, we stressed the importance of preserving the status of refugees to ensure that those genuinely fleeing persecution and repressi enjoyed the rights to which they were entitled. We agreed with M: Vu Khoan that voluntary repatriation was the best soluti 1 to Hong Kong's problems, and commented that we thought that t..ose in the camps were inadequately informed of the voluntary repatriation programme and its advantages. We felt that it was also important to mobilise Vietnamese public It was opinion to encourage people not to leave, and to return. important for the Vietnamese people to be aware of conditions in the camps in Hong Kong and, unless they were genuine refugees, to realise they had no prospect of resettlement elsewhere.
29. We commented to Mr Vu Khoan (and he agreed) that two volunteer flights a month would not produce the rapid results Hong Kong needs to ease its problems. We said we thought that Britain would wish to learn as much as Vietnam from the first operation to return non-volunteers on 12 December 1989. We fully agreed with
Mr Vu Khoan that monitoring was vital and we expressed the hope that the UNHCR would monitor both voluntary returnees and non-volunteers.
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