TNAG-1853-FCO40-2628-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 26

Monitoring

How will monitoring be done? How many staff in the British Embassy will be designated for this purpose? What does monitoring actually entail? What is the attitude of the UNHCR to monitoring?

Vietnamese Government have given us firm assurances that treatment of

returnees can be monitored after return.

In first instance, this will be done by staff of British Embassy in Hanoi. But we hope that UNHCR will be prepared to take on this task,

possibly working with other non Government organisations.

Only 9 families in first group of non voluntary returnees. All from same region (Haiphong). Task of monitoring therefore not a major one.

Apart from the Ambassador, two members of Embassy (DCM and Vice-Consul)

will be responsible for monitoring

Embassy have already been monitoring arrangements for return of VBPS

under UNHCR's voluntary repatriation scheme. Members of Embassy staff have inspected Transit Centre where returnees spend 2 or 3 days before

being transferred to their homes. Conditions in Transit Centre appear

perfectly acceptable by local standards and according to UNHCR officials are better than conditions in Hong Kong. Deputy Head of Mission has

also accompanied UNHCR officials on follow up visits to some returnees.

Vietnamese intend reception of involuntary returnees to be same as

for voluntary returnees.

BATACM