TNAG-1803-FCO40-2563-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-talks-between-the-UK--Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 114

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TROUBLING US ON THIS. ON ENTRY TO VIETNAM RETURNEES WOULD NEED VIETNAMESE IDENTITY DOCUMENTS, RATHER THAN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. THE FORMER COULD ONLY BE ISSUED BY VIETNAMESE

OFFICIALS.

9. IN RESPONSE TO MY QUESTION KHOAN SAID THAT IN PRINCIPLE THE VIETNAMESE HOPED THAT RETURNEES WOULD SIMPLY RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.BUT SOME MIGHT NOT WANT TO BECAUSE THEY HAD NO RELATIVES THERE, HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION, OR HAD DIFFICULTY IN FINDING A JOB. THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES FACING LOCAL AUTHORITIES WERE THE QUESTIONS OF HOUSING AND LAND FOR RETURNEES. THESE WERE ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 10.

I SAID THAT THERE WERE GENUINE PROBLEMS FOR HKG IN CONSIDERING A VISIT. THERE WAS THE QUESTION OF DISCIPLINE IN THE CAMPS. THEY WERE VERY CROWDED AND THERE WAS TENSION BETWEEN PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF VIETNAM.

RUMOURS COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY. BARNES ADDED THAT

THOSE IN THE CAMPS WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY LEARN VIA THE

MEDIA OF VISITS BY VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS. THERE WAS ROOM FOR MISUNDERSTANDING AND OVER REACTION IN THE CAMPS. 11.KHOAN EMPHASISED THAT THE VIETNAMESE INTENTION WAS TO FACILITATE REPATRIATION.

THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE

IN THE CAMPS, BUT WOULD CO-ORDINATE WITH UNHCR AND THE HONG

ΝΟ KONG GOVERNMENT ON ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS. HE ENVISAGED THAT MORE THAN FOUR OFFICIALS WOULD GO TO HONG KONG. I SAID THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER KHOAN'S REQUEST VERY CAREFULLY AND GIVE HIM AN ANSWER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

12.

KHOAN REQUESTED THAT FUTURE CONTACTS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES

OUT CONCERNING PRACTICAL AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE CARRIED THROUGH OUR EMBASSY IN HANOI.

I AGREED.

13. I SUMMARISED THE NEXT STEPS. THE VIETNAMESE HAD OUTLINED A NUMBER OF THINGS THEY WOULD DO INTERNALLY TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR REPATRIATION. WE WOULD CONTACT UNHCR TO DISCUSS THE FUNCTIONS WHICH BOTH SIDES AGREED THEY WERE IN THE BEST POSITION TO CARRY OUT. BUT WE BELIEVED THAT UNHCR MIGHT BE ABLE TO AGREE A PROGRAMME ON THE LINES PUT BY THE VIETNAMSEES TO DE MELLO.WE WERE PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A PROGRAMME AS NECESSARY. THE HKG WOULD PURSUE NECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

IN CONNECTION WITH REPATRIATIONS. ON A VISIT BY VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HKG AND UNHCR OFFICALS IN HONG KONG, WE WOULD ANSWER THE VIETNAMSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

CONTINUED IN SECOND PART.

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