TNAG-1792-FCO40-2552-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 8

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MDHIAN 1662

POLICY ON THE ISSUE OF THE RETURN OF ITS NON-REFUGEE CITIZENS. CURRENT TALKS WITH THE SRV DELEGATION IN GENEVA, IN FACT RECONFIRM OUR VIEW THAT THE DISCUSSION OF THIS SUBJECT WITHIN A REGIONAL FRAMEWORK (HUMANITARIAN DIALOGUE) HOLDS THE BEST

PROMISE OF SUCCESS.

5. AT PRESENT, THEREFORE, UNHCR IS TRYING TO SECURE AN OUTLET FOR THE SCREENED-OUT BEFORE EMBARKING ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCREENING MECHANISM. SHOULD IT BECOME CLEAR THAT RETURN OF THE SCREENED-OUT IN THE SHORT TERM WOULD BE POSSIBLE (ONCE SUCH OPTION IS EXHAUSTIVELY EXPLORED), UNHCR PROPOSES TO ENTER INTO CONSULTATION WITH THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES WITH A VIEW TO JOINTLY REVIEWING OTHER OPTIONS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS.

UNQUOTE

COMMENT

2. HEAD OF BUREAU HAS SINCE EXPLAINED REFERENCE TO ''OTHER OPTIONS'' IN LAST PARAGRAPH OF UNHCR RESPONSE. FOLLOWING ODP DISCUSSIONS, UNHCR BELIEVE VIETNAMESE DELEGATION WILL REPORT THAT ODP COUNTRIES AND UNHCR ITSELF HAD STRESSED THE NEED FOR CHANGE OF VIETNAM'S POLICY ON QUESTION OF RETURN TO VIETNAM OF NON-REFUGEES. UNHCR HAD ALSO BRIEFED VIETNAM DELEGATION ABOUT HARDENING ATTITUDES AMONG ASEAN COUNTRIES. IN UNHCR'S VIEW, THEY DO NOT EXPECT ANSWER TO

WHEN HOCKE'S LETTER TO CO THACH UNTIL SEPTEMBER AT THE EARLIEST, VIETNAM WOULD HAVE DIGESTED THE OUTCOME OF THE ODP DISCUSSIONS, AND VARIOUS ASEAN MEETINGS CULMINATING WITH ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS IN EARLY JULY. IF VIETNAM FAILED THEN TO INDICATE A CHANGE IN ITS POSITION, UNHCR ACCEPT THAT INTRODUCTION OF SCREENING OF BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVALS IN THE REGION WOULD BE ALMOST INEVITABLE.

3. IN SHORT, UNHCR HOPES THAT WE AND THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WILL AVOID TAKING UNILATERAL ACTION TO ALLOW MORE TIME TO PURSUE DIALOGUE WITH THE ASEAN COUNTRIES AND VIETNAM ITSELF.

SANKEY

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CONFIDENTIAL