TNAG-1797-FCO40-2557-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 91

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UNHCR ASSISTANCE PACKAGE AND RESETTLEMENT

6. THIS IS VERY MUCH A MATTER FOR THE UNHCR AND THE VIETNAMESE.

WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SETTLE THEIR MEMORANDUM OF

UNDERSTANDING AND SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR HANDLING

RETUR NEES AT THEIR MEETING ON 29 OCTOBER. THE INDICATIONS SO FAR

ARE THAT UNHCR WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THE COSTS OF REPATRIATION AND

RESETTLEMENT FOR THE FIRST GROUP OF RETURNEES. THE ISSUE OF A

UK/HK CONTRIBUTION CAN THEREFORE BE LEFT ASIDE UNTIL UNHCR ARE READY

TO LAUNCH THEIR APPEAL FOR FUNDS (ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD NOT DELAY TOO

MUCH AND RISK HOLDING UP THE RETURN OF LATER BATCHES).

PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE

WE NEED EARLY CONFIRMATION FROM THE VIETNAMESE OF THE LIST OF

RETUR NEES AND THE ROVINCIAL GROUPING. WE WILL MAKE THIS POINT IF

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN BANGKOK. WE NEED TO THINK IN TERMS OF

CONFIRMED GROUPS OF RETUR NEES TRAVELLING EITHER TO HA NOI OR HO CHI

MIN CITY. THIS WILL ENABLE US TO BE MORE SPECIFIC IN THE PLANNING

F OR CHARTER FLIGHTS.

8.

WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT FORM OF DOCUMENTATION THE VIETNAMESE

ENVISAGE FOR RETURNEES BUT WE ASSUME THAT ONCE THEY HAVE CONFIRMED

LISTS AND HAVE ESTABLISHED DESTINATIONS THEY WILL BE IN A POSITION

TO ISSUE AN IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT. IF THE RETURNEES ARE TO TRAVEL DIRECTLY TO VIETNAM RATHER THAN VIA BANGKOK THERE WILL, WE ASSUME, BE NO NEED TO ASK THE ICRC TO ISSUE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

9.

WE ARE NOT YET READY TO CONFIRM TO THE VIETNAMESE THEIR REQUEST

F OR A TECHNICAL LEVEL VISIT TO HONG KONG NOR HAS IT BEEN REFERRED

TO PUBLICLY HERE. WE ENVISAGE SUCH A VISIT COMING AT THE END NOT THE BEGINNING, OF REPATRIATION PLANNING. OUR THINKING AT THIS STAGE

IS THAT ONCE WE HAVE CONFIRMED LISTS AND GROUPINGS FOR THOSE

RETURNING TO VIETNAM WE WILL MOVE THEM TO SEGREGATED ACCOMMODATION

AT THE KAI TAK DEPARTURE CENTRE. THE VISITING VIETNAMESE TEAM

WOULD THEN CONDUCT THEIR INTERVIEWS AT THE DEPARTURE CENTRE AND ISSUE

THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION IMMEDIATELY BEFORE DEPARTURE. WE IMAGINE

THAT 3-4 DAYS WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR THIS PURPOSE BUT WE WILL HAVE TO

TAKE ACCOUNT OF VIETNAMESE REQUIREMENTS.

10. THE VIETNAMESE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEND A TECHNICAL LEVEL TEAM TO

HONG KONG EACH TIME A GROUP OF VBP IS TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. WE

WOULD NOT WELCOME SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT AND WE WONDER WHETHER WE MIGHT

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