TNAG-2067-FCO40-2945-Vietnamese-boat-people-unaccompanied-minors-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 8

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163716 MDHIAN 7662

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FM UKMIS GENEVA

TO DESKBY 060815Z FCO

TELNO 253

OF 060714Z APRIL 1990

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO PRIORITY HANOI, WASHINGTON

HONG KONG TELNO 1083: UNACCOMPANIED MINORS

1. VIEIRA DE MELLO TOLD US ON 4 APRIL, FOLLOWING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG, THAT HE HAD ENCOURAGED THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES TO BE FIRMER IN THEIR HANGLING OF UNACCOMPANIED MINORS.

2. HE HAD EXPLAINED THAT, WHILE UNHCR COULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN DIRECT PHYSICAL DEPORTATION (POSSIBLY INVOLVING FORCE) THERE WAS NO OBJECTION TO THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES PUTTING CHILDREN ON THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION FLIGHTS TO VIETNAM, EVEN WHERE THE CHILDREN DID NOT GO WILLINGLY. HE HAD MADE CLEAR THAT IF THE UNACCOMPANIED MINORS COMMITTEE HAD DECIDED THAT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD WAS RETURN TO VIETNAM, UNHCR WOULD GIVE FULL SUPPORT TO THAT DECISION. UNHCR WOULD NOT INTERCEDE WITH THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES EVEN IF THE CHILD RESISTED, ALTHOUGH THE ACTUAL HANDLING OF THE CHILD WOULD HAVE TO BE LEFT TO THEM. UNHCR WOULD ALSO MAKE PUBLIC THEIR SUPPORT FOR

HONG KONG'S ACTION.

3. AS FOR THE UNACCOMPANIED MINORS COMMITTEE, (COMPRISING TWO UNHCR OFFICERS AND ONE NGO OFFICER) THERE WERE CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FUNDING THE NGO POST WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND (NORWAY) AND THE NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL, IN THE HOPE THAT ONE OF THEM MIGHT COVER THE COSTS.

COMMENT

4. VIEIRA DE MELLO WAS MORE FORTHCOMING ON UM'S THAN SUGGESTED IN

PARAGRAPH 10 OF TUR.

5. IF UNHCR RUN INTO PROBLEMS OVER FUNDING THE NGO POST ON THE UNACCOMPANIED MINOR COMMITTEE, WE SHOULD CONSIDER APPROACHING A BRITISH NGO (POSSIBLY OXFAM OR SCF), MAKING FINANCE AVAILABLE TO THEM FOR THE PURPOSE. VIEIRA DE MELLO SAID THAT THIS SHOULD BE A LAST RESORT. IT WOULD SUIT OUR AND HONG KONG'S NEEDS BETTER IF A

FOREIGN NGO WAS INVOLVED.

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