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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI 210900Z JUN 82
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243
RECEIVED IN RETRY NO. 51
DESK OFFICER
TO ROUTINE FCO
INFO HONG KONG,
BANGKOK,
UKMIS GENEVA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 138 OF 21 JUNE
INDEX
YOUR TEL NO 455 TO HONG KONG
No
170
1
ISTRY
Actor Taken
CGE
2416
4/6 AF
16
VIETNAM, REPATRIATION OF MINORS
1. WE AGREE STRONGLY WITH YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. THE CONSIDERATIONS SET OUT IN MY TELEGRAM NO
·HkK243/2
204 OF 1981 (ON THE THREE MINOHS) APPLY GENERALLY TO ALL SUCH CASES. AS SEEN FROM HERE, REPATRIATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ONLY ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND ONLY WHEN THERE IS VERY CLEAR EVIDENCE OF A GENUINE WISH FOR REPATRIATION BY THE MINORS CONCERNED. A DETAILED ENQUIRY WOULD SEEM TO BE NECESSARY IN EACH CASE TO ESTABLISH FAMILY BACKROUND, CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEPARTURE, LENGTH OF STAY OVERSEAS, PRESENT AGE, KNOWN OR ASSUMED PARENT'S WISHES ETC.
2. I ALSO DOUBTVTHAT ANY UNHCR OFFICIAL WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL RECENT AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE INSIDE VIETNAM WOULD FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE, UNBIASED AND DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF WHAT, IN A PARTICULAR CASE, WOULD BE LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN THE EVENT OF REPATRIATION. THE EXPERIENCE OFTHE THREE MINORS' CASE WAS PARTICULARLY DISTURBING SINCE IT WAS CLEAR THAT UNHCR OFFICIALS IN GENEVA AND HONG KONG WERE DETERMINED, APPARENTLY ON GROUNDS OF GENERAL POLICY, TO DISREGARD THE ASSESSMENT MADE BY UNHCR OFFICIALS IN VIETNAM IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
TONK IN
19281
See (144
LIMITED
HKGD
SEAD
UND
NEWS DEPT
PS
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
PS/MR RIFKIND
PS/PUS
MR GIFFORD
MR DONALD
[THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED]
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG OFFICE LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL
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