TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 40

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MDHOAN 4366

RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES OF THE PRESENT BACKLOG AND OF THE GENUINE

REFUGEES WHO SUBSEQUENTLY ARRIVED. BUT THIS WILL BE ASKING A LOT OF THEM, GIVEN THE PRESSURES FROM ELSEWHERE, AND WE ARE NOT OPTIMISTIC THAT IT WILL BE EASY TO ACHIEVE.

4.

IF WE ARE TO PURSUE OPTION (B) WE WILL BOTH NEED TO TAKE

FURTHER OUR THINKING ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM, WITH A VIEW TO ELABORATING A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS. BEFORE STARTING ON THIS

WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRELIMINARY REACTIONS TO WHAT

FOLLOWS.

5.

ASPECTS WHICH WOULD FALL MAINLY TO YOU FOR FURTHER STUDY

INCLUDE:

(A) SCREENING. UNHCR PRODUCED A BOOKLET IN SEPTEMBER 1979

ENTITLED QUOTE HANDBOOK ON PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA FOR

DETERMINING REFUGEE STATUS UNDER THE 1951 CONVENTION UNQUOTE. WE

WILL OBTAIN AN ADDITIONAL COPY FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE NOT GOT ONE.

YOU WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER WHETHER THESE PROCEDURES SHOULD BE

FOLLOWED. (WE THINK THIS DESIRABLE: IT WOULD ALSO ASSIST IN SECURING UNHCR'S AND OTHERS' AGREEMENT TO THE PACKAGE, AND IN MAKING IT PRESENTATIONALLY ACCEPTABLE). A FURTHER QUESTION IS

WHO WOULD CARRY OUT THE SCREENING. WHAT ACCESS (FOR EXAMPLE BY UNHCR) WOULD BE PERMITTED TO THOSE SCREENED OUT?

(B) THE RESULTS OF SCREENING: IT WOULD BE ESSENTIAL TO HAVE THE BEST ESTIMATE YOU CAN GIVE OF THE LIKELY BREAKDOWN BETWEEN

REFUGEES AND NON-REFUGEES AFTER SCREENING. THIS RATIO WOULD DETERMINE THE REQUIREMENT FOR DETENTION PLACES ON THE ONE HAND

AND FOR RESETTLEMENT PLACES ON THE OTHER: THE EXTENT OF THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THE POLICY AS A WHOLE: AND THE STRENGTH OF THE RESIDUAL PULL FACTOR ON DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM.

(C) ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT OF THOSE SCREENED OUT: WOULD YOU WISH TO PERMIT THIS? THERE MAY BE US SENSITIVITIES (PARA 1(C) OF

MIPT).

(D) MANAGEMENT OF CENTRES FOR THOSE SCREENED OUT: THESE WOULD HAVE TO BE ESTABLISHED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM ON SATISFACTORY REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE A LONG HAUL AND CANNOT BE A FOREGONE CONCLUSION. WE KNOW YOU ARE ALREADY SEIZED OF

THE PROBLEMS OF MANAGEMENT, MORALE AND DISCIPLINE THAT SEEM BOUND TO ARISE. YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER WHAT MEASURES MIGHT BE PUT IN PLACE, E.G. IN THE FIELD OF TRAINING OR EDUCATION, WHICH MIGHT ASSIST IN MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS BY OCCUPYING THOSE SCREENED OUT: MIGHT INCREASE THE VALUE TO VIETNAM OF THOSE WHO MAY BE RETURNED:

AND MIGHT HELP DEFLECT CRITICISM OF THE NEW POLICY.

(E) EXISTING OCCUPANTS OF CLOSED CENTRES: YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER WHETHER, SUBJECT TO SUITABLE RESETTLEMENT OFFERS AND

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