TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 363

CONFIDENTIAL

075242 MDHIAN 2057

SIGN UNHCR'S VOLUNTARY RETURN FORM. HOCKE SAID LAOS WAS A UNIQUE CASE AND ''PROBABLY A MISTAKE'', THERE COULD BE NO EQUATION

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BETWEEN LAOS AND VIETNAM. UNHCR INVOLVEMENT IN ANY UK/HONG KONG/VIETNAM REPATRIATION SCHEME WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHERS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA TO FOLLOW SUIT, WITH UNACCEPTABLE CONSEQUENCES FOR UNHCR'S STANDING. THERE WERE ALSO POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES FOR UNHCR'S REPATRIATION PROGRAMME OF TAMILS TO SRI LANKA. WHEN VIEIRA DE MELLO SUGGESTED THAT UNHCR MIGHT PARTICIPATE IN DUE COURSE' HOCKE BAULKED, COMMENTING THAT IF THE BRITISH WENT AHEAD BILATERALLY HE COULD NOT STOP THEM, BUT IT CALLED IN QUESTION UNHCR'S OWN PARTICIPATION IN THE CPA. THE UK SHOULD WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER FOR THE

FIRST REVIEW.

COMMENT

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5. VIEIRA DE MELLO FEELS EXTREMELY LET DOWN BY HOCKE. THE SAME IDEAS HAD BEEN FLOATED (AND NOT CHALLENGED BY HOCKE) DURING THE DISCUSSION WITH SIR DAVID WILSON IN THE ICIR MARGINS. HOCKE'S REACTION ALSO PUTS VIEIRA DE MELLO IN A DIFFICULT POSITION WITH THE PRESS. HE HAD

BEEN CORRECTLY QUOTED BY REUTERS ON 3 JULY AS SAYING THAT UNHCR MIGHT MONITOR AND HELP RESETTLE NON-VOLUNTEER RETURNEES IN THE SAME

WAY AS THOSE RETURNING TO VIETNAM UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES (REUTERS REPORT BY FAX TO SEAD, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT AND HONG KONG).

6. VIEIRA DE MELLO HAS DONE HIS BEST FOR US AND WILL CONTINUE TO URGE HOCKE TO THINK AGAIN. HIS POSITION, HOWEVER, IS DELICATE. HE IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE SCHEMES WE ARE PURSUING WITH VIETNAM, PROVIDED NO FORCE IS USED IN REPATRIATING THE SCREENED-OUT. TO ENSURE VIEIRA DE MELLO'S CONTINUING SUPPORT AND TO PROTECT HIM, WE MAY NEED TO TREAD CAREFULLY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. THERE SEEMS LITTLE OPTION BUT TO PROCEED ON A STRICTLY BILATERAL BASIS ON THE LINES OF YOUR TELNO 233

TO HANOI.

7. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NO SPECIFIC EVIDENCE, WE ARE FAIRLY SURE THAT HOCKE'S ATTITUDE HAS BEEN LARGELY DICTATED BY RECENT AMERICAN PRESSURE. ACCORDING TO VIEIRA DE MELLO, THE LANGUAGE WHICH HOCKE USED IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE AMERICAN STANCE AT KUALA LUMPUR IN MARCH AND REITERATED IN GENEVA LAST MONTH. REVEALINGLY, PERHAPS, VIEIRA DE MELLO ALSO SAID THAT HOCKE REFERRED TO FRENCH CONCERNS, COMMENTING THAT MITTERAND WAS PAYING A VERY CLOSE INTEREST IN THE INDO-CHINESE REFUGEE PROBLEM.

HEWITT