TNAG-1908-FCO40-2712-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-voluntary-and-mandatory-repat-1989 — Page 199

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB

243

19

το

376

171560

MDLIAN 5782

CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKMIS NEW YORK

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1783

OF 110155Z NOVEMBER 89

COPY ?

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON

366

YOUR TELNO 780: REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: UNHCR

MONITORING

1. I CALLED ON THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON 10 NOVEMBER AND SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED, EMPHASISING THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF OUR RETURNING GENUINE REFUGEES TO VIETNAM. PEREZ DE CUELLAR SAID HE WAS QUITE CLEAR ON THIS POINT. HE WOULD TAKE THE MATTER UP WITH UNHCR OFFICIALS.

2. IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW LONG THE INTERREGNUM WILL LAST BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES. THE SECRETARY- GENERAL SAID HE HOPED HE COULD PRESENT STOLTENBERG AS HIS CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEXT WEEK. THE AFRICANS HAD

WANTED TO MAKE A DEAL OVER STOLTENBERG'S APPOINTMENT (WE HEAR THAT THIS WOULD INVOLVE THE APPOINTMENT OF AN AFRICAN AS A NEW DEPUTY). BUT HE HAD TOLD THEM THAT THE FIRST STEP WAS THE ELECTION OF STOLTENBERG: THEREAFTER THE LATTER WOULD HAVE INFLUENCE OVER FUTURE APPOINTMENTS. BUT PEREZ DE CUELLAR DID NOT KNOW WHEN STOLTENBERG WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE UP HIS NEW POSITION.

TICKELL

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

113

DISTRIBUTION

121

.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PUSD

RMD

PS

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/MR SAINSBURY

PS/LORD BRABAZON

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/PUS

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL