171
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243 15
167456
MDHIAN 2806
RECEIVED IN
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
.Si
16 JUL 1990
A
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1714
OF 310955Z MAY 90
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: MANDATORY REPATRIATION
WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY CASSELA (UNHCR, BANGKOK) THAT FOLLOWING VIEIRA DE MELLO'S VISIT TO HANOI THERE HAS BEEN SOMETHING OF A RETHINK IN GENEVA ON MANDATORY REPATRIATION. ACCORDING TO CASSELA, STOLTENBERG HAS AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO NON-VOLUNTEERS RETURNING TO VIETNAM ON THE SAME FLIGHTS AS VOLUNTEERS.
2. THIS IDEA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SOME TIME BUT UNHCR HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN VERY RELUCTANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH MANDATORY REPATRIATION. APPARENTLY, THE PRESENT THINKING IS THAT WE WOULD CHARTER AN AIRCRAFT AND THAT UNHCR WOULD BUY SEATS EACH WEEK FOR RETURNING VOLUNTEERS. WE WOULD THEN BE FREE TO USE THE REMAINING SEATS FOR NON-VOLUNTEERS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VARIATIONS ON THIS THEME WHICH MIGHT BE EXPLORED BUT BEFORE DOING SO WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR UKMIS GENEVA'S ASSESSMENT OF CASSELA'S REPORT. OUR EXPERIENCE WITH CASSELA IS THAT HIS REPORTS AND ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT ALWAYS AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF THINKING IN GENEVA.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
68
VIETNAMESE REPATRIATION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
FED
NAD
DISTRIBUTION
74
PS
PAGE
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
MR BLATHERWICK
MR BURNS
MR MOSS
1
CONFIDENTIAL