TNAG-1803-FCO40-2563-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-talks-between-the-UK--Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 112

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDHOAN 6537

REQUEST THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC) TO

ISSUE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR MIGRATION TO MAKE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. THE RETURNEES WOULD TRAVEL BACK TO VIETNAM ON LAISSEZ-PASSER DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THE

VIETNAMESE EMBASSY IN BANGKOK.

4. BARNES ASKED WHETHER DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM HONG KONG TO HANOI WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT FOR RETURNEES. IF SO WHAT SIZE OF AIRCRAFT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AND WHAT NUMBERS COULD THE VIETNAMESE RECEIVE AT ANY ONE TIME ? HE ADDED THAT IT

WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD AGREE A DATE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR BY WHEN THE FIRST RETURNEES SHOULD HAVE GONE BACK. 5. KHOAN THEN SPOKE ABOUT ACTIONS WHICH THE VIETNAMESE INTENDED TO TAKE. HE HAD EIGHT POINTS:

(A) LISTS OF THOSE WHO WISHED TO RETURN SHOULD BE HANDED TO THE VIETNAMESE. UNHCR HAD GIVEN THEM 57 PAPERS, AND WE HAD GIVEN THEM DETAILS CONCERNING 110 PEOPLE.

(B) THE VIETNAMESE WOULD EXAMINE SUCH LISTS CONSIDERING IN

PARTICULAR WHERE INDIVIDUALS HAD COME FROM AND THE ABILITY OF THOSE PROVINCES TO ACCEPT THEM BACK. THE VIETNAMESE WOULD GIVE US THE RESULTS OF THESE QUOTE TECHNICAL EXAMINATIONS UNQUOTE AS

SOON AS POSSIBLE.

(C) HE PROPOSED THAT VIETNAMESE EXPERTS AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL

SHOULD MAKE CONTACT IN HONG KONG WITH THOSE WHO WISHED TO RETURN. THEY WOULD EXPLAIN VIETNAM'S HUMANE POLICY TO THESE PEOPLE AND INTERVIEW THEM TO ESTABLISH WHERE THEY WANTED TO LIVE ON RETURN.

(0)

WITH OUR HELP THE VIETNAMESE WOULD DRAW UP A LIST FOR REPATRIATION. THE FIRST APPLICATIONS WOULD BE DEALT WITH FIRST.

FOR PRACTICAL REASONS IT WOULD BE EASIER TO MAKE BATCHES OF

RETURNS TO THE SAME OR NEIGHBOURING PROVINCES.

(E) IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ISSUE THE VIETNAMESE EMBASSY IN BANGKOK.

IDENTITY DOCUMENTS THROUGH

OFFICIALS VISITING HONG KONG

TO INTERVIEW PROSPECTIVE RETURNEES COULD TAKE ON THIS TASK.

(F) DIRECT FLIGHTS TO HANOI OR HO CHI MINH CITY WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. KHOAN COULD NOT GIVE A VIEW ON THE APPROPRIATE SIZE OF AIRCRAFT, BUT LARGE NUMBERS OF RETURNEES WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO PROCESS, AND WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE WITH INTERNAL TRANSPORT. RETURNEES SHOULD BE HANDED TO THE VIETNAMESE

AT HANOI AIRPORT.

(G) THE VIETNAMESE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERNAL TRANSPORT OF RETURNEES.

(H) FINALLY THEY WOULD BE RESETTLED.

4.

KHOAN EMPHASIZED THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT THE VIETNAMESE FACED: THOSE WHO DID NOT LIVE IN VIETNAM COULD NOT

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