CONFIDENTIAL
7. SPEAKING MORE GENERALLY ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING EXCOM MEETING,
PURCELL SAID THE US WOULD HAVE FURTHER MEETINGS WITH THE VIETNAMESE
ON 2/3 OCTOBER AROUT THE ODP PROGRAMME. THE STATE DEPARTMENT
DID NOT HOWEVER REGARD VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AS A FEASIBLE
SOLUTION. REGIONAL RESETTLEMENT, WHICH WAS THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE
TO RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES, WAS ALSO FRAUGHT WITH PROBLEMS.
HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE SUPPORT OF CONGRESS FOR THE US
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM, IT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR UNHCR TO RE SEEN TO RE
PURSUING THESE TWO OTHER OPTIONS MORE VIGOROUSLY THAN AT PRESENT,
AND ALSO FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO RE PULLING ITS WEIGHT.
THE US WOULD REITERATE THEIR SUGGESTION THAT UNHCR SHOULD
REAPPOINT A REGIONAL CO-ORDINATOR FOR SOUTH EAST ASIA.
B
COMMENT
THOUGH NO COMMITMENT HAD BEEN MADE, THESE WERE ENCOURAGING FIRST
REACTIONS.
7. DOUGLAS AND PURCELL ARE BEING REPRESENTED BY THEIR DEPUTIES
AT GENEVA NEXT WEEK: IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW UP THEN.
PURCELL MADE NO REFERENCE TO DOUGLAS' PROPOSAL FOR A CONSULTATIVE
GROUP MEETING IN NOVEMBER ON THE PROBLEM OF LONG-STAYERS IN FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES. BUT IF THE US DO CONVENE SUCH A MEETING, IT
WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE REPRESENTED IF WE ARE TO RETAIN
THEIR GOODWILL.
WRIGHT
LIMITED
HKD
NAD
SEAD
UND
PS
PS/MR RENTON PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
COPIES TO:
MR RAWSTHORNE, HOME OFFICE
(LUNAR HOUSE)
CONFIDENTIAL
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