TNAG-1905-FCO40-2709-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 440

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011444 MDHOAN 6691

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR

TELNO 147

OF 07160OZ MARCH 89

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

FOR COLVIN (SEAD) VISITING

(3)

HONG KONG TELNO 758: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: ATTITUDE OF UNHCR TOWARDS COMPULSORY REPATRIATION

1.

WE AGREE WITH HONG KONG THAT THERE IS INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE STATEMENT FROM UNHCR REPORTED IN UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 114 (IE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH A PROGRAMME WHICH MIGHT INCLUDE INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION) AND THE INSTRUMENTAL ROLE WHICH THEY HAVE PLAYED IN THE PREPARATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLAN. WE ATTRIBUTE SUCH INCONSISTENCY TO THE NATURE OF THE UNHCR BEAST. WE NEVERTHELESS AGREE THAT WE SHOULD TAKE EVERY SUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP UNHCR UP TO THE MARK ON THE PRINCIPLE OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION.

2. IF COLVIN HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO IN THE MARGINS OF THE KUALA LUMPUR PREPCON CAND PROVIDED HE THINKS THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO DO SO AT THIS POINT) GRATEFUL IF HE COULD SPEAK TO UNHCR OFFICIALS ALONG THE LINES SUGGESTED IN PARAS 2 AND 3 OF

HONG KONG TUR.

HOWE

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

96

DISTRIBUTION

102

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PUSD

NEWS

PS

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/MR PATTEN ODA

PS MR EGGAR

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

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