TNAG-1789-FCO40-2549-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1989 — Page 234

BY FAX

United Kingdom Mission

37-39 rue de Vermont 1211 Geneva 20

Telex 27956

Telegrams Prodrome Geneva

Telephone 34 38 00 33 23 85

DH Colvin Esq

SEAD

FCO

LONDON SW1

Your reference

Our reference

Date

24 October 1988

Dear Dand,

INDO-CHINESE ASYLUM SEEKERS: INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS: BANGKOK : 27/28 OCTOBER

1.

I attach an outline agenda and an informal background note prepared by UNHCR's Bureau for Asia and Oceania for the meeting in Bangkok on 27/28 October.

2.

The meeting is intended as the first of a series to consider Indo-Chinese Asylum Seekers and to prepare the ground for the preparatory conference and eventually the international conference next year on the problem.

3.

The background note contains no surprises, concentrating on the critical issues of first asylum, ODP, voluntary repatriation and return of failed asylum seekers, determination of refugee status and re-settlement. UNHCR emphasise the importance of the UK/Hong Kong/UNHCR agreement in providing a possible model for determination of refugee status and repatriation of volunteers and those who fail, with limited non-developmental assistance to ease re- integration into the country of origin. Rightly, UNHCR emphasise that one of the most intractable problems is finding a solution for rejected cases. Until the country of origin accepts back failed asylum seekers, UNHCR emphasise the need either for the country of asylum to shelter the rejected cases (with international monitoring of their conditions) or possibly the establishment of a Regional Holding Centre.

4. As time is short, I am sending a copy of this letter by fax. I should be grateful if you could also copy it in London to Christopher Hum. To facilitate your briefing task, I am also faxing a copy to Andrew George in Bangkok and Mike Hanson in Hong Kong.

CC:

CO Hum Esq, HONG KONG DEPT, FCO

A N George Esq, BANGKOK M Hanson Esq, Hong Kong

Tom's

avin

G W Hewitt

·