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FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 761
OF 221628Z DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, HONG KONG
HANOI TELNO 69 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
965
BILATERAL AGREEMENT
1. WE HAVE KEPT IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH UNHCR ON CURRENT STATUS OF BILATERAL UK/HONG KONG/VIETNAM MOU ON MODALITIES OF REPATRIATION.
2. TWO POINTS CONCERN UNHCR: THE FIRST REFERS TO FUNDING OF TRAVEL AND LIVING EXPENSES OF VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH UNHCR EXPECTED THIS AND CAN MAKE FINANCIAL PROVISION AS NECESSARY, THEY WONDER IF IT WOULD STILL BE POSSIBLE TO PERSUADE VIETNAM TO COVER ITS OWN COSTS. THE REQUIREMENT FOR A VISIT TO HONG KONG BY VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS FOLLOWED A VIETNAMESE REQUEST AND IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO REPATRIATION. UNHCR DO NOT WISH TO OFFER AN OPEN CHEQUE.
3. SECONDLY, UNHCR IS CONCERNED ABOUT DRAFT TEXT IN 4TH TIRET RELATING TO PROCEDURES FOR REPATRIATION. AS CURRENTLY DRAFTED, LANGUAGE MIGHT SUGGEST THAT VIETNAM COULD EXERCISE DISCRETION IN HONG KONG ABOUT THOSE VOLUNTEERS WHICH IT COULD ACCEPT FOR REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM. THIS RUNS COUNTER TO CURRENT UNHCR UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL 'VETTING' WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN VIETNAM AND THAT VISIT OF VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS TO HONG KONG WOULD BE PURELY RELATED TO PROVISION OF ENTRY PERMITS. IF FURTHER ''SCREENING'' BY VIETNAMESE IN HONG KONG IS ENVISAGED, WHAT ARE CRITERIA?
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