TNAG-1800-FCO40-2560-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-principle-of-first-asylum-1988 — Page 104

MAILGRAM SERVICE CENTER MIDDLETOWN, VA, 22645

08AM

Western Union

Mailgram 2

0325199160002 06/08/88 ICS IPMMTZZ CSP WHSB

1 2022238866 MGM TDMT WASHINGTON DC 06-08 0518P EST

THE INDOCHINA RESOURCE ACTION CENTER M

KNOWLES

1118 22 ST NORTHWEST SUITE 300 WASHINGTON DC 20037

THIS IS A CONFIRMATION COPY OF THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE:

FRB TDMT WASHINGTON DC 256/240 06-08 051AP EST

INT MRS MARGARET THATCHER

PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

10 DOWNING STREET

LONDON (ENGLAND)

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

WE WISH TO CONVEY TO YOU THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE

ON THE BEHALF OF OVER 200 INDOCHINESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY LEADERS, ACADEMICS, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN

ORGANIZATIONS WHO ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE ON THE FIRST ASYLUM CRISIS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, HELD IN WASHINGTON, D.C. JUNE 8, 1988

1. WE ARE DEEPLY DISTRESSED AT THE CHANGE OF POLICY ON VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES IN HONG KONG BEING WORKED OUT BETWEEN YOUR EXCELLENCY AND FOREIGN SECRETARY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE

WE REMIND YOU OF GREAT BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO THE 1979 UN GENEVA CONFERENCE TO GRANT ALL ARRIVING VIETNAMESE FIRST ASYLUM PENDING RE-SETTLEMENT, AND THE NECESSITY OF MAKING ANY CHANGES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ANOTHER UN CONFERENCE

2. EVEN IN THE CASE OF ADOPTION WITHIN THAT MULTI-LATERAL FRAMEWORK OF THE NEW POLICY OF REPATRIATION OF BOAT REFUGEES, A FAIR SCREENING PROCESS MUST BE SET UP UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNHCR TO QUALIFY A GENUINE POLITICAL REFUGEES FOR RE-SETTLEMENT IN CONFORMITY WITH THE 1951 REFUGEE CONVENTION

3. AS TO THOSE WHO ARE SCREENED OUT, ASSURANCE OF HUMANITARIAN TREATMENT UPON REPATRIATION MUST BE OBTAINED FROM THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT

4. ALL REPATRIATIONS SHOULD PREFERABLY WAIT SOMETIME UNTIL THE PERSONS TO BE RETURNED CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND DECIDE VOLUNTARILY TO COME BACK TO VIETNAM

MOST RESPECTFULLY

DR LE XUAN KHOA PRESIDENT THE INDOCHINA RESOURCE ACTION CENTER 1118 22 ST NORTHWEST SUITE 300

WASHINGTON DC 20037

COL

10 200 8, 1988 1, 1979 2, 1951 3, 4. 1118 22 300 20037

TO REPLY BY MAILGRAM MESSAGE SEF REVERSE SIDE FOR WESTERN UNION'S TOLL FREE PHONE NUMBERS.

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