TNAG-0975-FCO40-1194-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-other--1980 — Page 48

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the controversial "Orderly Departure" Scheme under which some 1,700 Vietnamese have so far left the country direct for resettlement countries. It was the only solution that UNHCR could see at the time. But it clearly falls outside the mandate and good offices role. It is ironic for UNHCR to be placed in the position of organising the exit of unwanted people. The limited numbers are due to a conflict between recipient countries whose lists concentra on family reunification cases and the Vietnamese authorities who, like the Cubans, wish to dispose of misfits.

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The Conference also provided the pattern for a conference on humanitarian assistance to Cambodia in May 1980. UNHCR was much

less involved on that occasion than were ICRC and UNICEF. The

former's responsibilities lie mainly with the refugees located in Thailand at some distance from the border. UNHCR has been criticised for acquiescing in the Thai scheme for the repatriation of refugees to Cambodia. Its contention was that this was the only way to ensure that the repatriation was truly voluntary and that the Thais did not repeat the massive expulsions of 1979.

UK Relations with UNHCR

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I have already referred to the role of UNHCR in Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe and in relation to Hong Kong. More generally the UK has traditionally supported both the assistance and protection work of the High Commissioner and indeed UNHCR looks to us for support in the setting of high standards, and for help in securing wider acceptance of the various refugee treaties and of the spirit of the High Commisioner's Statute. We have always played a prominent part at the annual meetings of the UNHCR Executive Committee, a body which consists of 40 Western and Third World governments. A number of small changes have been initiated in the UK's own

procedures to bring us into line with our international obligations under the Convention largely as a result of discussions between the former UNHCR representative in London (Mr Heidler) and the government. The present representative, Mr Landau, is likely to continue discussions with officials with a view to making further improvements, but he is pragmatic and recognises that in practice the interests of refugees are on the whole safeguarded in

the UK. There may be some merit in the proposal for the

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/establishment