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7990
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FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 508
OF 130826Z SEPTEMBER 88
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, HANOI
676
071305
MDLIAN 6560
HKD 243/8
oms
HONG KONG TELNO 3350. VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: VOLUNTARY
RETURNEES
1. WE UNDERSTAND FROM HEAD OF UNHCR'S ASIA BUREAU THAT INSTRUCTIONS
HAVE BEEN SENT TO UNHCR OFFICE IN HONG KONG TO COMPLETE VERIFICATION INTERVIEWS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH ALL HEADS OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN RETURNING VOLUNTARILY TO VIETNAM (PARA 4 OF TUR).
2. UNHCR HQ HAS ALSO ASKED FOR THE FILES OF THE 14 REFUGEES WITH
WHOM INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED TO BE SENT IMMEDIATELY TO
BANGKOK FOR ONWARD TRANSMISSION TO HANOI. UNHCR SEE THIS AS A
CRITICAL ELEMENT IN TESTING VIETNAM'S SINCERITY ON READINESS TO
ACCEPT VOLUNTARY RETURNEES IN BATCHES.
3. ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTAND HONG KONG'S FRUSTRATION ABOUT LACK OF UNHCR STAFF IN HONG KONG, IT IS UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT ANY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE. AS WE HAVE REPORTED BEFORE, UNHCR STAFFING IS UNDER VERY HEAVY PRESURE FROM REFUGEE PROGRAMMES ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD, NOTABLY AFRICA. WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY AT PAST EXCOMS ASKED UNHCR TO KEEP STAFF NUMBERS UNDER CONTROL.
SANKEY
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
107
.VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
DISTRIBUTION
110
FED
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS MR EGGAR
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