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3.
M Hocké was quite frank in putting his finger on the central dilemma which this argument throws up. For the UNHCR to support any programme of repatriation, there must be financial assistance for those returning and, clearly, the cooperation of the country accepting them back. This would cut across the policy of the UK and other countries of using economic aid as a political weapon against Vietnam, principally over Cambodia. If Hong Kong was the UK's dominant priority and if eventual repatriation of the Vietnamese refugees was seen to be the only way out of the problem, would the UK be prepared to accept the logical consequence of changing its policy on aid towards Vietnam and thereby softening its line on Cambodia? It is this area of possible conflict between policies which we are now seeking to reconcile. We shall of course keep you in touch with progress.
4. I had an opportunity to ask M Hocké for his views on the screening programme for Lao refugees. He repeated the view given in your telno 467 that the Lao were holding out for some greater financial incentive to accept back those who have been screened out under the programme (an explanation I must say I find far more convincing than Dr Somkeo's pious protestations that Laos would not wish any of its citizens to be returned against their will). The continuing hold-up in this programme is certainly a matter of concern, particularly as it raises a number of troubling parallels with proposed future courses of action on those who have fled (and are still fleeing) Vietnam and Cambodia. The success of the programme would broaden the options in addressing the long-term problem and would also justify the funds which we have already contributed to it.
5.
With this in mind, I should be interested if you and Delia Walker in Geneva could ascertain whether there is a genuine problem over finance. If so, we would see whether, from increasingly tight funds, we could find a further contribution later in the Financial Year. Clearly, however, we would wish to be wary of suggesting to the Lao that we were prepared to enter an auction in which the cost of their cooperation rose in response to their perception of how keen we and other countries were to the programme succeed. There will also be difficult implications for our policy towards Vietnam, were there at any time in the future to be progress towards a programme of screening or repatriation for Vietnamese refugees. With these reservations in mind, I should be grateful if you and Delia Walker could take some discreet soundings and let us know your views.
6. You will by now have seen Liz Hebden's letter and record of conversation of her recent meeting with the British Refugee Council to take forward the SCORRI undertaking to resettle 60 Indo-Chinese refugees from camps in South East Asia. I hope that
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