TNAG-0899-FCO40-1109-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 270

CONFIDENTIAL

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CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE MINISTER OF STATE AND THE DEPUTY UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, HELD AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON MONDAY, 29 OCTOBER 1979, AT 11.30 AM

Present:

Mr Peter Blaker, MP

Mr Murray

Mr Simpson-Orlebar

Mr Munro

Mrs Tucker

Mr Webb

Mr Dale S de Haan, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees

Mr Jean Heidler, UK

Representative

for UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Cambodian Refugees

1.

Mr Blaker welcomed Mr de Haan and Mr Heidler. Mr de Haan said that things generally were busy but the Cambodian problem was particu- larly difficult. UNICEF and the Red Cross had the lead roles within Cambodia. UNHCR was not involved to any great extent, although they were paying for some of the food going into Cambodia. Their role within Thailand was to co-ordinate the continuing refugee work. There were already 200,000 new refugees and there was speculation that the figure could go as high as half a million. These latest refugees had been driven across the border by war and hunger. The Thai Prime Minister deserved great credit for his restraint and generosity over this huge new influx, since, as a result, many Thai nationals (Mr Murray thought about 75,000) had been displaced. Mr Blaker described what the UK was doing to help alleviate the famine in Cambodia. The situation in Thailand was difficult. It was not yet clear how large the problem would be. Mr de Haan said that a high level mission had gone to Thailand over the weekend. Their role was to explain UNHCR's role and gain the confidence of the Thai authorities. Mr Murray said that it was clear that those refugees who had left Vietnam would not be going back, but he thought that the Cambodian refugees might be persuaded to return. Mir de Haan agreed and said that the bulk of these people were peasants and farmers. Mr Blaker said that Cambodia had plenty of good farmland and a shortage of labour. Mr de Haan foresaw that many of these would return sooner rather than later. There was a possibility of developing a UNHCR Centre in Phnom Penh but only to help those returning to Cambodia.

Vietnamese Refugees

2.

Mr Blaker asked how Mr de Haan saw the intentions of the Vietnamese in relation to the boat people. Mr de llaan could not say but thought that the key to the whole issue lay in the Orderly Departure Scheme. How long the present moratorium lasted would depend to a large extent

/un

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