TNAG-1971-FCO40-2804-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 131

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CONFIDENTIAL

027454

MDHIAN 6487

RESETTMENT FOR THOSE SCREENED IN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEADLINES TO BE SPECIFIED IN THE CPA. THE UK WILL UNDOUBTEDLY COME UNDER PRESSURE FOR A FURTHER RESETTLEMENT PLEDGE.

(C) DEPARTURES AND REPATRIATION: THE OBJECTIVES HERE SHOULD BE TO PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE TO ACCEPT SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS TO IMPROVE AND PERHAPS EXPAND THE ODP AND TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS TO DISSUADE PEOPLE FROM ATTEMPTING CLANDESTINE DEPARTURES. ON REPATRIATION, WE RECOMMEND AIMING FOR A SUBSIDIARY DOCUMENT WHICH SETS OUT A PROCEDURE FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION BASED ON THE CURRENT UNHCR SPONSORED PROGRAMME. IT WILL ALSO BE ESSENTIAL TO INCLUDE SOME MECHANISM WHICH WILL ENABLE US TO MOVE FROM VOLUNTARY TO MANDATORY REPATRIATION WITHIN A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME IF THE VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENTS PROVE TO BE INADEQUATE. WE HAVE IN MIND SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE ARRANGEMENT SPECIFIED IN THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE CPA. WE REALISE THAT THE UNHCR IS LIKELY TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN ASSOCIATING ITSELF WITH A MANDATORY REPATRIATION SCHEME: BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO PERSUADE UNHCR TO PLAY A ROLE IN MONITORING THE WELFARE OF RETURNEES. AT THIS STAGE PERHAPS WE SHOULD AIM NO HIGHER THAN LEAVING THE OPTION OF UNHCR INVOLVEMENT OPEN. THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO AVOIDING ANY WORDING IN THE DOCUMENT WHICH PRECLUDED A UNHCR MONITORING ROLE. ALTERNATIVELY, THE MONITORING ROLE MIGHT BE PERFORMED BY A CONSORTIUM OF NGO'S OR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND PERHAPS THE ICRC MIGHT BE PERSUADED TO PLAY A PART. ICM WILL ALSO BE AN ESSENTIAL PLAYER IN BOTH VOLUNTARY AND MANDATORY REPATRIATION PROGRAMMES.

2. WE HAVE GIVEN SOME THOUGHT TO OUR INVOLVEMENT FROM HERE IN THE VARIOUS MEETINGS OVER THE NEXT 3 MONTHS. ALTHOUGH OUR RESOURCES WILL BE STRETCHED WE THINK IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT HONG KONG PLAY A FULL PART IN THE PROGRAMME OF WORK PRIOR TO THE ICIR. WE THEREFORE PROPOSE TO COVER THE VARIOUS MEETINGS AS FOLLOWS:

3. SUB-COMMITTEE ON DEPARTURES AND REPATRIATION: HANSON WILL ATTEND THE FIRST MEETING IN BANGKOK IN EARLY APRIL.

4. SUB-COMMITTEE ON RECEPTION AND STATUS DETERMINATION: THE FIRST MEETING HAS BEEN SET FOR 6/7/8 APRIL IN HONG KONG. WE WILL ASSIST UNHCR IN PREPARING BRIEFING PAPERS AND ARRANGING VISITS TO THE SCREENING CENTRES. BARNES, HANSON AND OTHER WILL ATTEND AS NECESSARY.

5. SUB-COMMITTEE ON RESETTLEMENT. THIS SUB-COMMITTEE WILL MEET IN GENEVA. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE DO NOT ENVISAGE A HKG INVOLVEMENT.

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