CONFIDENTIAL
United Kingdom Mission
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S T Nash Esq
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RECEIVEL REGISTRY
Date
19 July 1985
2-5 30 35
DESK OFLACEM
ALL.STRY
Laken
Dear Stephen
INDE
✓
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON THE SOVIET VESSEL POISK
1.
During a call on the Head of Resettlement Section at UNHCR this week I sought his views on the recent pick-up of boat people by the Soviet vessel 'Poisk'. Feldmann told me that he was certain that the thirty-seven refugees had been returned to Vietnam, a clear case of refoulement.
2. Feldmann said that UNHCR had heard rumours in the past that Soviet ships had returned boat-people to Vietnam but these had never been substantiated. This was the first occasion such a pick-up had been announced at the time it happened. On receipt of the information from the ship's agent in Manila, UNHCR had asked the Philippine Government to allow them to land. The Philippine Government however had shown no inclination to take them and had even queried whether they could be considered as genuine refugees despite UNHCR's offer to screen them. Feldmann's next thought had been that this would be an ideal opportunity to use the Disero scheme, and he asked the US, Sweden and France to provide the necessary resettlement guarantees. The US and Sweden quickly agreed but France declined on the grounds that as the Poisk was not flying a flag of convenience, DISERO could not apply. Feldmann's view was that the DISERO scheme went wider than simply offering places to those rescued by such ships and he wanted to challenge the French refusal. But following discussions with his superiors it was decided to let the matter drop.
3. In the meantime the American media had picked up the story and were asking UNHCR what was happening. Feldmann said that, at that time, they were completely in the dark as the ship's agent had become unavailable and the ship had left port before UNHCR officials had had a chance to see the refugees or to even find out their names. All they knew was that two of the thirty-seven were ill.
4.
UNHCR immediately spoke to the Soviet Mission here, leaving an aide-memoire, but received no response. The US had approached the Soviets in Washington and had also asked the Swedes to make a demarche
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