TNAG-1796-FCO40-2556-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 13

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056735 MDLIAN 5729

(AND UK IN OBSERVER CAPACITY). UNHCR WOULD ACCORDINGLY BE APPROACHING MISSIONS IN GENEVA TO SUGGEST THAT SUCH A MEETING TAKE PLACE ON 16TH (UNHCR OFFICE HERE HAVE NOW SEPARATELY INVITED US TO ATTEND MEETING). THAIS ENVISAGE THAT AT THIS MEETING DISCUSSION WOULD FOCUS ON PREPARING FOR A PROPOSED WORKING GROUP MEETING (AT WHICH COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM, RESETTLEMENT AND ORIGIN WOULD PARTICIPATE) TO BE HELD IN KUALA LUMPUR IN

LATE OCTOBER.

THE WORKING GROUP MEETING IN OCTOBER WOULD SPECIFICALLY BE TASKED WITH PREPARING A PACKAGE OF

4.

PROPOSALS POSSIBLY ALONG THE LINES PROMULGATED AT THE CHA-AM MEETING IN MAY, FOR DISCUSSION AT A PREPARATORY CONFERENCE ASEAN ARE PROPOSING TO HOLD, AGAIN IN KUALA LUMPUR, IN NOVEMBER. FOR THIS CONFERENCE (QUOTE PREPCON UNQUOTE) ALL THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE 1979 GENEVA CONFERENCE

WOULD BE INVITED. ASEAN'S A IM WOULD BE TO PRODUCE A DRAFT PACKAGE COVERING ASYLUM, SCREENING, REPATRIATION AND RESETTLEMENT THAT WOULD FORM THE BASIS OF DISCUSSION AT THE SUBSEQUENT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

5.

THE THIAS APPEAR CONFIDENT THAT VIETNAME WILL ATTEND THE

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER MEETINGS: THE OCOTBER MEETING WILL BE HELD TO DOVETAIL IN WITH THE POST-JIM KAMPUCHEA WORKING GROUP MEETING, AND THACH HAS TOLD BOTH THE THAIS AND THE MALAYSIANS THAT

VIETNAME WOULD ATTEND A PREPCON.

6.

KOBSAK REITERATED THE THAI LINE THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO HOLD AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO RESOLVE THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM. HE REFERRED TO MALAYSIAN INTENTIONS TO CLOSE PILAU BIDONG CAMP AND END FIRST ASYLUM, BY APRIL/MAY 1989. IF THIS

·

HAPPENED,

INDONESIA WOULD FOLLOW SUIT AND THERE WOULD BE

INTENSE INTERNAL PRESSURE FOR THAILAND TO DO THE SAME.

COMMENT.

7. THE THAIS REMAIN KEEN TO BUILD MOMENTUM FOR AN

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

WHETHER THEY ARE AHEAD OF THEIR ASEAN PARTNERS IS DIFFICULT TO SAY, BUT THE ABOVE TIMETABLE AT LEAST APPEARS TO BE ACCEPTED BY ALL. THE THAIS HAVE HOPES THAT

THE AMERICANS WILL COME UP WITH SUBSTANTIVE DRAFT PROPOSALS

FOR A PACKAGE THAT COULD FORM THE BASIS OF TALKS ON 16 SEPTEMBER.

BUT THE AMERICANS TELL US THEY HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE PACE

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