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Government, the latest round in London in October. At that meeting
the two sides agreed on the need for comprehensive arrangements for
all those post-16 June arrivals deemed not to be refugees. They
agreed to make an immediate start on arrangements for the return of those who had already asked to go back. We are negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vietnamese on the practical arrangements. Once this has been agreed we hope that the first
repatriations can be put in hand quickly.
5. UNHCR have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with
representatives of Vietnamese Government on arrangements for the
first returnees. UNHCR will provide modest resettlement assistance
and will monitor the returnees to ensure their proper treatment on
their return.
6. Over 450 refugees had at one stage volunteered to return.
Almost 100 have since changed their minds. We hope that the return
of the first batch early in the new year, will encourage these and
more to come forward for repatriation.
International Conference
7. The ASEAN countries have proposed the convening of an international conference in 1989 to address the problem. We have
said we will attend. The main areas which are likely to be covered
are resettlement and repatriation. There have already been
difficulties in persuading some, in particular the US, to endorse explicitly the concept of involuntary repatriation to Vietnam. This could well complicate arrangements for the conference and even
delay it.
UK Contribution to UNHCR Programme
8.
In October we announced a contribution of £1 million towards
the UNHCR's programme in Hong Kong in the current financial year. During Lord Glenarthur's press conference on 11 January he will
announce a further contribution of £1 million to the UNHCR work for
the next financial year, HK$ 1 million towards UNHCR's resettlement assistance programme, and a gift (from Mr McLaren's
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