TNAG-1915-FCO40-2719-Hong-Kong-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-in-third-count-1989 — Page 38

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050337

MDLIAN 2036

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FM BANGKOK

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 422

OF 270645Z JUNE 89

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR, INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, MANILA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, JAKARTA

YOUR TELNO 183 TO UKMIS GENEVA: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: RESETTLEMENT TECHNICAL MEETING: 3 JULY IN BANGKOK.

1. WE HAVE DISCUSSED OBJECTIVES OF MEETING WITH UNHCR HERE. VTHEY HAVE PROMISED US AN AGENDA FOR THE 3 JULY MEETING ON 28 JUNE (WE WILL FAX TO YOU). HOWEVER, IT LOOKS AS IF FOCUS OF MEETING WILL BE ON A TARGET TIME FRAME FOR RESETTLEMENT, AND APPORTIONING CASELOAD. UNHCR WILL SUGGEST A 50 PERCENT, 35 PERCENT, 15 PERCENT, FORMULA TO CLEAR BACKLOG OVER AGREED THREE YEAR PERIOD.

2. FOR NEXT WEEK'S MEETING WE WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE ON

THE FOLLOWING:

A) WILL WE WANT ALL OUR 2,000 TO BE RESETTLED FROM HONG KONG?

B) ARE WE CONTENT IN GENERAL WITH 50/35/15 FORMULA?

C) GIVEN HONG KONG CASELOAD LIKELY TO BE MORE DIFFICULT TO

RESETTLE (AS MOST ARE FROM N.VIETNAM), WOULD WE STILL EXPECT 50/35/15 FORMULA TO APPLY IN HONG KONG, OR ARE WE MORE RELAXED ABOUT THIS? (WOULD WE BE MORE RELAXED IF REFUGEES IN AN RPC?)

D) RESETTLEMENT CRITERIA: WHAT WILL BE OUR ATTITUDE TO MORE DIFFICULT CASES (UNACCOMPANIED MINORS, DESERTERS, MEDICAL CASES ETC)? WILL WE INSIST OF TAKING THOSE WITH LINKS TO THE UK FIRST? WILL WE BE PREPARED TO RELAX CURRENT RESETTLEMENT CRITERIA (FAMILY REUNIFICATION)?

E) ARE WE CONTENT, IN PRINCIPLE, WITH THE INTENTION THAT LONG-

STAYERS BE RESETTLED FIRST?

3. IN ADDITION, ANY GENERAL GUIDANCE ON THE QUESTION OF APPORTIONING RESETTLEMENT UNDERTAKINGS AMONGST COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM CAND ANY OTHER LINE YOU WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE)

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