28404
HKGOVT G
28404 HKGOVT G
28404 HKGOVT G
MEMO-TELEX CH
28880 HKGV CH
ZSYNZ
(SFART CM) 42
7 OCTOBER 1986
6765
CONFIDENTIAL
33
( Mr Barter. し
Mrfactor for
FOR DAVID JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY
FROM KEN WOODHOUSE IN GENEVA
COPIED TO UKMIS GENEVA, DELIA WALKER
BEN TANG, HKG OFFICE, LONDON (PLEASE PASS TO LEEKS AT FOO)
UNHCR EXCOM GENERAL DEBATE
THAILAND
THE THAI REPRESENTATIVE NOTED THAT RECENTLY THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES BEING RESETTLED IN THIRD COUNTRIES HAS MARKEDLY DECLINED. HE HOPED THAT THIS WAS A TEMPORARY SETBACK RATHER THAN A NEW TREND.
2.
HE ADVOCATED VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AS THE BEST DURABLE SOLUTION FOR INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES, BUT POINTED OUT THAT THE UNCO-OPERATIVE ATTITUDE OF THE VIETNAMESE MADE THIS IMPOSSIBLE. THE ASEAN COUNTRIES HAD PROPOSED A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE KAMPUCHEAN PROBLEM BUT THIS HAD BEEN REJECTED BY VIETNAM. HE REFERRED TO ARMED ATTACKS BY THE VIETNAMESE ON BORDER REFUGEE CAMPS.
*
3. HE REPORTED ON THE SCREENING PROCESS FOR LAOTIAN REFUGEES WHICH THE THAI AUTHORITIES HAD INTRODUCED LAST YEAR. SINCE JULY 85 1400 LAOTIANS HAD BEEN SCREENED AND WERE AWAITING REPATRIATION. ALTHOUGH THE LAO AUTHORITIES HAVE AGREED
,
TO ACCEPT THESE PEOPLE IN PRINCIPLE, IN PRACTICE NONE HAVE GONE BACK. HE URGED THE UNHCR TO PERSUADE THE LAQTIANS TO ALLOW THOSE SCREENED OUT TO RETURN. HE ADDED OMINOUSLY QUOTE
FAILING THIS, THE THAI AUTHORITIES WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO TREAT THESE LAOTIANS UNDER IMMIGRATION LAW UNQUOTE.
4. HE REITERATED THE THAI GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO ALLOW THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ACCESS TO THE 25,000 REFUGEES IN KHAO-I-DANG WHO WERE LONG STAYERS. BUT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR THE CAMP WOULD BE CLOSED AND THOSE REMAINING TRANSFERRED TO BORDER SITES TO AWAIT REPATRIATION.
5.
HE REFERRED TO THE ANTI-PIRACY PROGRAMME AND TO THAILANDS COMMITTMENT TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM. BUT HE HOPED THAT THAILAND'S QUOTE FRIENDS UNQUOTE WOULD CONTINUE TO SHARE THE BURDEN.
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