TNAG-1798-FCO40-2558-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 82

946

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FM HANOI

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 461

OF 08005OZ DECEMBER 88

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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG AND UKMIS GENEVA

MIPT

045434

MDHIAN 4786

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE FROM

HONG KONG

1A. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SRV AND OF THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS AGREED IN LONDON ON 12 AND 13 DECEMBER ON THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG AFTER 15 JUNE 1988 WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR RESSETTLEMENT IN OTHER COUNTRIES. BOTH SIDES UNDERTOOK TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE START ON PHASED RETURNS TO VIETNAM OF THOSE WHO

HAVE ALREADY APPLIED TO RETURN.

1B. THE TWO SIDES HAVE REACHED THE FOLLOWING UDERSTANDING:

2. THE HANDING OVER OF LISTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR REPATRIATION.

2A. THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES WILL PASS TO THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES VIA THE UNHCR LISTS OF VIETNAMESE IN HONG KONG WHO HAVE EXPRESSED A WISH TO RETURN TO VIETNAM TOGETHER WITH APPLICATION FORMS AND

PHOTOGRAPHS LIKE THE ATTACHED SAMPLE.

2B. THE VIETNAMESE SIDE WILL BATCH BY BATCH PASS TO THE BRITISH SIDE

AND THE UNHCR OFFICE IN HANOI LISTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED

BY THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT FOR REPATRIATION.

3. PROCEDRUES FOR THE ORGANISATION OF REPATRIATION.

3A. THE VIETNAMESE SIDE WILL SEND 3 OR 4 OFFICIALS TO HONG KONG

TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THOSE VIETNAMESE WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR

REPATRIATION. THE LOCATION FOR DOING THIS WILL BE ARRANGED BY THE

HONG KONG AUTHORITIES.

3B. THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WILL CREATE FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS

FOR THE VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS TO WORK AND WILL GUARANTEE THEIR

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