TNAG-1797-FCO40-2557-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 90

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDLIAN 7906

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 3944

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INFO PRIORITY HANOI, BANGKOK, UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS.

WE HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME THOUGHT TO THE TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WILL BE NECESSARY BEFORE THE FIRST GROUP OF RETURNEES CAN LEAVE HONG KONG FOR VIET NAM. MOST OF THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS WILL HAVE TO BE SETTLED IN DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE UNHCR AND THE VIETNAMESE AND WE WERE THEREFORE INTERESTED TO NOTE THE OUTLINE AGENDA (UMIS GENEVA TELNO 622) FOR THE UNHCR/VIETNAM DISCUSSIONS ON 29 OCTOBER.

2. THE AGENDA ITEM ON REPATRIATION AND REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE IS LIKELY TO COVER MATTERS OF SPECIFIC INTEREST TO US AND WE WONDER WHETHER IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO SUGGEST THAT THE UK/HK REPRESENTATIVES JOIN THEIR DISCUSSIONS FOR THIS ITEM.

3.

OUR PURPOSE IS TO ENSURE THAT EARLY AGREEMENT IS REACHED ON ALL REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS INCLUDING PRE-DEPARTURE REQUIREMENTS AND THAT UK/HK INTERESTS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE DISCUSSIONS. THIS MIGHT BEST BE ACHIEVED BY A TRIPARTITE DISCUSSION AND THE MEETING IN BANGKOK WOULD SEEM TO OFFER AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY IF YOU AGREE WITH THIS SUGGESTION PERHAPS UKMIS GENEVA COULD BE ASKED TO FLOAT THE IDEA WITH THE UNHCR IF UNHCR FIND THE IDEA ACCEPTABLE, THEY WOULD BE BEST PLACED TO APPROACH THE VIETNAMESE. ALTERNATIVELY, AS TIME IS SHORT THE UK/HK REPRESENTATIVES COULD MAKE THIS SUGGESTION TO THE UNHCR IN BANGKOK.

4. THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE THREE AREAS OF DETAIL TO BE ADDRESSED. ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE FIRM PROPOSALS AT THIS STAGE BUT WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING INITIAL THOUGHTS.

CHARTER FLIGHTS TO VIETNAM

5. WE HAVE MADE SOME INFORMAL INQUIRIES AND WE WILL PASS ON THE I NF ORMATION ON OPTIONS AND COSTS TO THE UNHCR LOCALLY. WE HAVE NOTED THE VIETNAMESE COMMENT THAT MEDIUM SIZED AIRCRAFT WILL BE MOST SUITABLE FOR THE FIRST RETUR NEES AND THAT FLIGHTS SHOULD BE DIRECT TO HANOI OR, IF NECESSARY, HO CHI MIN CITY.

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