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MDHIAN 4419

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HANOI

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 329

OF 20052OZ SEPTEMBER 88

YOUR TELNO 192: ODP

1. THE HOME OFFICE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE INCREASING NUMBER

OF DEPARTURES SEEMS UNNECESSARY. FIGURES FOR JULY AND AUGUST WERE INDEED EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH, BUT THIS IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE VIETNAMESE HAVING GRANTED SOME 210 EXIT PERMITS IN MAY COUR TELNO 209 REFERS). WITH JUST 19 DEPARTURES PLANNED FOR SEPTEMBER, THE MONTHLY AVERAGE FOR THIS YEAR IS STILL ONLY 30, WHICH SHOULD REALLY NOT BE CAUSE FOR ALARM.

2. UNHCR DEALS WITH SOME 2000 DEPARTURES EACH MONTH WORLDWIDE, OF WHICH THE UK PROGRAMME IS A VERY SMALL PART, AND WE FEEL IT WOULD BE UNREASONABLE TO ASK THEM TO

TRY TO CONTROL THE RATE OF DEPATURES TO THE UK. THIS WOULD ONLY WORSEN THE CURRENT BACKLOG OF OUTSTANDING CASES, OR CREATE A NEW ONE. THAT THE SYSTEM CAN ILL-AFFORD. THEY HAVE PROMISED, DURING GENERAL DISCUSSION, TO GIVE US AS MUCH NOTICE OF FLIGHT LISTING AS POSSIBLE.

3. ONE POSSIBLE METHOD OF GIVING HOME OFFICE MORE NOTICE OF IMPENDING

ARRIVAL WOULD BE TO COPY TO THEM THE EXIT PERMIT LISTS ISSUED BY THE

VIETNAMESE. THESE WOULD GIVE THEM A GENERAL IDEA OF HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY COULD EXPECT DURING THE FOLLOWING 3 MONTHS,

BUT WOULD PROBABLY BE OF LITTLE SPECIFIC USE EG. FOR CONTACTING SPONSORS OR ARRANGING ACCOMMODATION.

DAVIES

TYYY

HEHPAN 6052

YYYY

1

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