TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 25

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HKD 2.43/8

376,

162101

MDLIAN 7128

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FM HONG KONG

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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, WASHINGTON INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA

MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

TEXT OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AS FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THAILAND'S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND UNHCR, APRIL 20, 1988

A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WAS SIGNED IN BANGKOK BETWEEN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) ON 20 APRIL 1988 ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR PROVISION OF CARE AND SHELTER FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARRIVE IN THAILAND.

2.

THE NEW VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM TEMPORARY RECEIVING CENTRES ALONG THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN THAI COASTS TO AN ANNEX TO BE CONSTRUCTED AT THE SITE II ENCAMPMENT ALONG THE THAI- KAMPUCHEAN BORDER UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SUPREME COMMAND OF THE ROYAL THAI ARMED FORCES.

3. THESE NEW VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR RESETTLE- MENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES. THIS MEASURE IS NECESSARY TO DETER A POSSIBLE NEW INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE INTO THAILAND.

VIETNAM WILL BE INFORMED OF THE CLOSURE OF PHANAT NIKHOM CENTRE, AND OF THE INELIGIBILITY OF NEW ARRIVALS FOR RESETTLEMENT.

4.

5.

THE PHANAT NIKHOM HOLDING CENTRE IN THAILAND, WHICH CURRENTLY HOUSES OVER 23,500 INDOCHINESE REFUGEES OF WHOM ALMOST 15,000 ARE VIETNAMESE, WILL BE CLOSED TO ALL NEW VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE PENDING THE INCREASED ACCEPTANCE OF VIETNAMESE CURRENTLY IN THE CENTRE FOR RESETTLEMENT BY THIRD COUNTRIES.

THE UNHCR HAS UNDERTAKEN TO CONTINUE TO CONDUCT TALKS WITH THE

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