TNAG-1977-FCO40-2810-Arrivals-figures-and-procedures-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-H-1989 — Page 47

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050731

CONFIDENTIAL

FM COPENHAGEN

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 150

OF 09132OZ MAY 89

CONFIDENTIAL

MID 243/22

TOD

MDHIAN 3866

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

INFO PRIORITY OTHER EC POSTS, OSLO, STOCKHOLM, HELSINKI

INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, OTTAWA, CANBERRA, HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

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YOUR TELNO 860 TO WASHINGTON (NOT TO HELSINKI): VIETNAMESE BOAT

PEOPLE IN HONG KONG

SUMMARY

1. DENMARK (AND OTHER NORDICS) KEEN THAT THE ICIR SHOULD SUCCEED. THEY FAVOUR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, WITH FINANCIAL INDUCEMENTS IF NECESSARY. THEY HOPE ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE ICIR WILL BE PREPEARED TO ACCEPT REFUGEES. DETAILS OF POSSIBLE NORDIC REPRESENTATION AT THE

ICIR. SOME BOAT PEOPLE SHOULD SOON BE RESETTLED IN DENMARK.

DETAIL

2. IN THE ABSENCE OF THE RELEVANT UNDER SECRETARY AND HEAD OF DEPARTMENT WE CALLED TODAY (9 MAY) ON THE HEAD OF THE MFA SECTION RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUGEE POLICY. WE SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED AND LEFT A PIECE OF PAPER BASED ON PARAGRAPH 6 OF TUR.

3. KLINGENBERG SAID THE NORDIC COUNTRIES HAD MET IN COPENHAGEN ON 8

MAY TO HEAR A REPORT FROM THE NORWEGIAN REFUGEE ADVISER WHO

REPRESENTED THE NORDICS IN THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE ICIR. HE

HAD SAID THE VIETNAMESE HAD BEGUN TO SHOW SOME UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANICS AND WERE BEING MORE PROFESSIONAL. BUT THERE WERE SOME ASPECTS RELATING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (CPA) WHICH

MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO RESOLVE BEFORE THE ICIR. KLINGENBERG SAID THE NORDICS WANTED EVERY EFFORT MADE TO AVOID ANY COLLAPSE. ALTHOUGH THEY WERE CONCERNED, FROM THE STRICTLY HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE, ABOUT SOME ELEMENTS IN THE CPA (FOR EXAMPLE DRAFTING WHICH APPEARED TO LIMIT THE RIGHT OF INDIVIDUALS TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY, AND THE SUGGESTION OF MASS MEDIA CAMPAIGNING) THEY WOULD NOT SEEK CHANGES, TO AVOID COMPROMISING MATTERS, SO LONG AS THE MAIN ACTORS AND UNHCR WERE BUT KEEPING UNHCR ON BOARD WAS VITAL. THE CONCEPT OF HOLDING CENTRES COULD CAUSE NORDIC EYEBROWS TO RISE IF UNHCR WERE NOT FULLY INVOLVED

AND IF GUARANTEES WERE NOT IN PLACE.

4. THE PREFFERED NORDIC OPTION WAS VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. WE POINTED

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