TNAG-1907-FCO40-2711-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 4

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HKB 243 19

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 3722

OF 09050OZ NOVEMBER 89

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, WASHINGTON

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

162144 MOLIAN 5128

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION

1. WE HAVE RECEIVED A REPORT DATED 7 NOVEMBER FROM UNHCR ON PROGRESS WITH THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME. THE PRESENT POSITION IS SET OUT BELOW. ALL FIGURES ARE NET OF WITHDRAWALS.

A. NUMBER REPATRIATED (5 EL

507

B. APPLICATIONS PENDING:

WITH HANOI

WITH UNHCR

TOTAL

969

46

1015

C. OF THE PENDING APPLICATIONS:

POST APPEAL

PRE-APPEAL

PRE-SCREENING

37

47

927 (PLUS 4 VRS)

2. ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS HAS INCREASED STEADILY OVER RECENT MONTHS THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FROM THOSE DEFINITIVELY SCREENED OUT REMAINS LOW. ONLY 40 SUCH APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND 3 OF THESE HAVE NOW WITHDRAWN.

3. UNHCR HAVE CLAIMED PUBLICLY THAT THERE ARE 2000 VOLUNTEERS IN THE PIPELINE. THIS CLAIM IS NOT BORNE OUT BY THEIR OWN AND ICM'S REPORT WHICH SHOWS A TOTAL OF 1015 REQUESTS FOR REPATRIATION BEING PROCESSED. WE ARE FAXING A COPY OF THE FULL REPORT TO YOU SEPARATELY.

WILSON

YYYY

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