TNAG-1797-FCO40-2557-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 181

LONG-STAYER RESETTLEMENT

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THE U.S. ACKNOWLEDGES THAT SERIOUS INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS MUST BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO HELP REDUCE FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES' LONG-STAYER POPULATIONS. THE U.S. IS PREPARED TO WORK WITH OTHER MAJOR RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS COUNTRIES WITH SMALLER RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS, TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. FOR THE U.S., ANY FUTURE COMMITMENTS ON LONG-STAYER RESETTLEMENT MUST BE CONTINGENT UPON THE FULL RESTORATION OF FIRST ASYLUM AND OPERATION OF A UNHCR-MONITORED SCREENING MECHANISM. THE U.S. FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT UNLESS A SCREENING PROCESS IS IN PLACE, LONG-STAYER RESETTLEMENT MAY SERVE AS A MAGNET FOR ADDITIONAL ARRIVALS.

THE ROLE OF THE SRV

THE U.S. BELIEVES THAT THE SRV SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO 1 ASEAN AND RESETTLEMENT/DONOR COUNTRY DISCUSSIONS AT AN

EARLY STAGE, BUT NOT BEFORE THE ASEANS, HONG KONG, AND THE RESETTLEMENT/DONOR COUNTRIES HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH INITIAL AGREEMENT ON KEY ISSUES SUCH AS SCREENING CRITERIA AND UNHCR'S ROLE IN A REPATRIATION EFFORT. THE U.S. WOULD NOT OBJECT TO SRV AND LAO PARTICIPATION AT THE NEXT MEETING (PRESUMABLY OCTOBER) OF ALL INTERESTED PARTIES PROVIDED THE DISCUSSIONS AT THE AWG MEETING ARE PRODUCTIVE.

DESIRABILITY OF A NOVEMBER PREPCON

BUT

THE U.S. IS NOT OPPOSED TO A SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDOCHINESE REFUGEES SOMETIME IN 1989, FEELS ANY SUCH MEETING MUST BE WELL-PREPARED. IN ORDER FOR A CONFERENCE TO BE A SUCCESS FIRST ASYLUM AND DONOR/RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES MUST BE IN BROAD SUBSTANTIVE AGREEMENT ON CENTRAL ISSUES SUCH AS THE PRESERVATION OF