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HUD 243/11
173645
MDLIAN 3055
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FM BANGKOK
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 168
OF 17095OZ MARCH 88
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, WASHINGTON, KUALA LUMPUR, MANILA, SINGAPORE, UKMIS NEW YORK, HONG KONG
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
SUMMARY.
1. IN EFFECT THAILAND TEMPORARILY NO LONGER A FIRST ASYLUM
COUNTRY FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. THAIS HAVE DECIDED TO MOVE ALL VIETNAMESE ARRIVALS (WEF MID JANUARY 1988) TO SITE 2 ALONG THAI/CAMBODIAN BORDER. VIETNAMESE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE
FOR RESETTLEMENT UNTIL SUTATION RETURNS TO NORMAL. UNHCR TO
RETAIN CONTROL AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR VIETNAMESE AFTER THEIR MOVE TO SITE 2.
DETAIL.
2.
UNHCR'S DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE IN THAILAND, KAISER ZAMAN, CALLED A MEETING ON 16 MARCH TO BRIEF DONOR COUNTRIES ON LATEST
SITUATION ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. ZAMAN INDICATED UNHCR HAD
CONTINUED TO LOBBY THAI AUTHORITIES FOR REVERSAL OF THEIR CURRENT
POLICIES TOWARDS THOSE ARRIVING ON THE EAST COAST (TRAT PROVINCE). THAIS HAD MAINTAINED THEIR POSITION, AND AT A MEETING ON 15 MARCH INFORMED UNHCR THAT THOSE VIETNAMESE CURRENTLY IN CAMPS IN TRAT, AND KO RANG ISLAND, WOULD BE MOVED TO SITE 2. THAIS SOUGHT UNHCR'S COOPERATION, AND FUNDING FOR ESTALISHMENT AND RUNNING OF NEW CAMP. SUBSEQUENTLY OBTAINED ORAL AGREEMENT TO: PHYSICAL SEPARATION OF NEW VIETNAMESE CAMP WITHIN SITE 2
(IN EFFECT SOME 300-400 METRES FROM SITE 2 (SOUTH) BUT STILL WITHIN SITE 2 BOUNDARIES): UNHCR CONTROL OF THE CAMP (THAIS ORIGINALLY SUGGESTED UNBRO SHOULD RUN IT): REGISTRATION AND
ACCESS OF VIETNAMESE: TRANSFER OF CURRENT VIETNAMESE POPULATION
IN SITE 2 (ON THE QUOTE VIETNAMESE PLATFORM UNQUOTE) TO NEW
CAMP. UNHCR COMMENTED THIS WAS THE MINIMUM PACKAGE ACCEPTABLE TO THEM.
3. ZAMAN COMMENTED THAT THE THAIS DECISION TO MOVE THE
VIETNAMESE TO SITE 2 APPEARED TO INCLUDE THOSE ARRIVING ON
THAILAND'S SOUTH COAST. UNHCR HAD REPORTS OF CONTINUED OCCASIONAL QUOTE PUSH-OFFS UNQUOTE ON EAST COAST, AND ALSO
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