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would be welcomed back.
12.
Mr Mouchet considers that, if the persons "screened out" are eventually allowed to return to Laos, they would be as well received as the refugees who have returned under the voluntary repatriation programme.
13.
How effective do UNHCR think the screening programme is? Both UNHCR and, according to Mr Mouchet, the Thai government, consider it to be effective. 2,000 monthly arrivals before the programme was set up are now 300 - 400 and Mr Mouchet expects the rate to remain at this level, if no other outside factor occurs to cause a change. The 300-400 are mainly Lowland Lao. In 1985 the arrival figure of hill tribe persons was the lowest since 1975. Although the decrease in hill tribe arrivals started before the screening programme was implemented, Mr Mouchet thinks the screening programme has contributed to the decrease, along with the facts that the internal situation in Laos is now better for the hill tribes and that their perception of life in a refugee camp in Thailand has deteriorated.
14.
As far as the negotiations with the Laotian government for the return of the "screened out" persons are concerned, UNHCR have had no positive reply yet. The Laotian government have stated that the issue is related to Laotian/Thai relations, ie it is only one element in a wider political situation. Mr Mouchet has no idea when a Laotian reply can be expected and he expressed disappointment that the Thais were not also discussing the issue with the Laotian government as he felt this would help matters.
cc: T Trevan Esq, UND, FCO
Mrs JD Wyeth, DRU, ODA Chanceries Bangkok
Yours sincerely, Deba
D J Walker (Miss)
all with encs
Hanoi
UKMis New York
*PS
This figure was given as 38 by Mr Kunugi at UNBRO briefing
on 30 June.
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