TNAG-1911-FCO40-2715-Financial-assistance-from-the-UK-Government-to-Vietnamese-re-1989 — Page 134

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7.

My officials have discussed the proposal in depth with Hong Kong and will be writing to yours to put details. The funds required would fall roughly one third in 1989-90 and two thirds in 1990-91.

REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE IN VIETNAM

8. You have kindly already agreed to make available up to around £4m this year for costs related to mandatory repatriation (eg transport, per capita payments in kind). No repatriation programme is possible without the cooperation of Vietnam. Our agreement with Vietnam is only for the first group of non-volunteers. After that we shall have to re-negotiate further to agree a programme of substantial and regular returns. It is my judgement that in order to secure this, we will need to be able to offer a significant financial inducement to Vietnam, in the form of assistance for re-integration of returnees into Vietnamese society. We have discussed with the ODA wing what form such assistance might take, and we have also consulted the director of the British Refugee Council, who recently visited Vietnam, on the types of practical assistance which would be of most use in the Communities to which people would return. Our conclusion is that we should offer vocational training, tools and equipment for workshops to generate employment, and vehicles to help solve severe transport problems.

9. ODA have suggested that the administration of such an assistance programme might be undertaken by NGOs, such as Oxfam or Save the Children. They have already shown some willingness to monitor the conditions of those who return, an aspect of the repatriation programme which we regard as of great political importance. It would be an efficient approach if the functions of monitoring and aid administration were to be combined. If NGOs were willing to accept a role of this kind, we would have to be prepared to include, in the disbursement of any aid monies, an element to contribute to the NGOs own costs.

10. The Governor of Hong Kong has agreed to seek approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council to meet half of the costs of the mandatory repatriation scheme, if HMG meets the other half. We originally estimated that it would cost about US$1000 per head US$620 as assistance and the remainder as transport. transport figure is likely to be higher and we may finally have to agree that HKG will pay the US$620 and HMG will the the rest. We do not know how many boat people will be mandatorily repatriated during the current

ROFAIC (3)

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