RESTRICTED
FM BANGKOK
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 415
OF 29070OZ JUNE 88
RESTRICTED
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
TOP COPY
C7 7
HKD 243
(65
004043 MDLIAN 8768
YOUR TELNO 291:
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
1. COPY OF MOU ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WAS SIGNED BETWEEN UNHCR AND THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT ON 20 APRIL. WE DESPATCHED A COPY OF THE MOU TO SEAD ON 6 MAY, BUT FOR EAS OF REFERENCE FOLLOWING IS REPEAT OF THE TEXT:
QUOTE: ''GIVEN THE DECISION OF THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT TO LOCATE NEW VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS TO THE AREA IN THE SOUTH OF SITE II (SOUTH).
RECOGNISING THE CONTINUING NEED TO PROVIDE INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION AND MATERIAL ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAMESE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A DURABLE SOLUTION IS FOUND.
THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT AND UNHCR AGREE UPON THE FOLLOWING: (1) AS VIETNAMESE REMAIN OF CONCERN TO UNHCR, UNHCR WILL PROVIDE PROTECTION AND ASSITANCE WITH THE FULL SUPPORT AND COOPERATION OF THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE RTG IN THIS TASK.
(2)
VIETNAMESE WILL BE KEPT EFFECTIVELY SEPARATED FROM THE
KHMER POPULATION IN A CLEARLY DEFINED AREA IN THE SOUTH OF
SITE II (SOUTH) UNDER DIRECT JURIDDICTION OF THE ROYAL
THAI GOVERNMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SUPRME COMMAND OF THE ROYAL THAI ARMED FORCES.
(3)
UNHCR WILL BE ALLOWED ACCESS AND PRESENCE IN THE CAMP
IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE FUNCTIONS AS OUTLINED IN THIS MEMORANDUM IN COOPERATION WITH THAI AUTHORITIES, AND ITS RESPONSIBILITY IN CONNECTION TO THE PROVISION AND MONITORING OF MATERIAL ASSISTANCE'
2.
QUNUOTE.
UNHCR HAVE TOLD US THAT THE MOU WAS QUOTE AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT TO AGREE TO DO ABOUT VIETNAMESE ARRIVING BY BOAT UNQUOTE. ALTHOUGH RETICENT ABOUT CRITICISING THE RTG, UNHCR ARE EVIDENTLY CONCERNED THAT FIRST ASYLUM HAS NOT YET BEEN REINTRODUCED (AS THEY HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE WOULD HAPPEN), AND ALSO UNHAPPY AT THE REALITY OF THE THAIS' INTERPRETATION OF THE MOU.
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