CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
320
HKB
24319
071527
MDLIAN 9622
TO IMMEDIATE HANOI
TELNO MISC 805
OF 190345Z OCTOBER
INFO PRIORITY FCO, UKMIS GENEVA
318
TOP COPY Q DIST?
YRTELNO 93: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION OF VOLUNTEERS
1. IT MAY BE USEFUL TO NOTE THAT OUR ROLE IN THE REPATRIATION OF VOLUNTEERS, AS PREVIOUSLY RECOGNISED BY THE EMBASSY, IS CONFINED TO SEEKING THE NECESSARY DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCE. IN SO DOING, WE INFORM YOU OF THE FLIGHT DETAILS AND APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF RETURNEES 15 DAYS IN ADVANCE.
2. THE UNHCR, WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OPERATING THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME, MUST NECESSARILY DEAL WITH ALL OTHER
DETAILS. THIS HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE SINCE THE START OF THE PROGRAMME. OTHERWISE WE RISK CONFUSION. WE DO NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, INVOLVE OURSELVES IN SORTING OUT THE NAMES OF RETURNEES SINCE ALL NAMES ARE FORWARDED BY THE UNHCR CHONG KONG) DIRECTLY TO THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. UNHCR ALSO HAVE A SYSTEM OF HANDLING WITHDRAWALS/REPLACEMENTS UP TILL THE POINT OF DEPARTURE. WE DO NOT INTERVENE IN THESE PROCESSES. OTHERWISE WE ASSIST WHERE WE CAN, AS WE ARE KEEN TO SEE AS MANY VOLUNTEERS LEAVE HONG KONG AS POSSIBLE.
WE SHALL CERTAINLY ALERT UNHCR THAT YOU HAVE ADVISED THAT THE ACCURACY OF THE NAMELIST IS IN QUESTION AND THAT THEY MUST SORT THIS OUT QUICKLY.
3. PARA 4 IN TUR REFERS TO A FLIGHT ON 28 OCTOBER 1989. WE UNDERSTAND FROM UNHCR CHONG KONG) THAT NO PLANE IS AVAILABLE ON THAT
DATE. THEY HAVE JUST TELEXED UNHCR CHANOI) TO FIX ANOTHER DATE.
FORD
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