TNAG-2401-FCO40-3488-Vietnamese-migrants-Orderly-Repatriation-Programme-(ORP)-1992 — Page 204

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HANOI

TELNO 40

OF 13110OZ JANUARY 92

AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HKA 020/14

INFO PRIORITY UKREP BRUSSELS, WASHINGTON

Pa

174347

MDHOAN 7771

YOUR TELNO 6 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: JANUARY ORP I FLIGHT

1

.

VIETNAM HESITANCY ON THE PLANNED ORP I FLIGHT IN LATE JANUARY IS MOST DISAPPOINTING. AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF DELAYS IN INSTITUTING ORP II FLIGHTS, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM OF MONTHLY ORP I FLIGHTS, RETURNING SCREENED-OUT NEW ARRIVALS WITHIN WEEKS, AS THE ORP I MODALITIES AGREEMENT ENVISAGES. THIS WILL HELP COUNTER SPECULATION IN THE HONG KONG CAMPS THAT WE ARE EITHER UNABLE OR WEAKENING IN OUR

DETERMINATION TO RETURN SCREENED-OUT VMS TO VIETNAM UNDER THE

ORP ARRANGEMENTS.

2. THERE ARE ONLY 40 OR SO ON THE PROPOSED FLIGHT. WE ARE UNSURE OF THE EXACT SCHEDULING OF UNHCR VOLUNTARY FLIGHTS TO HANOI TOWARDS THE END OF THIS MONTH OR OF THE PRECISE DATES OF THE TET HOLIDAY AS IT AFFECTS VIETNAM, BUT WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE TIME TO PROCESS SUCH A SMALL GROUP AT CO NHUE AND GET THEM HOME BY 4 FEBRUARY (PROBABLY UNDER THEIR OWN STEAM AS THEY COME FROM A WIDE RANGE OF PROVINCES).

3. PLEASE THEREFORE GO BACK TO THE VIETNAMESE, STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO THE REGULARITY OF ORP FLIGHTS AND ASKING

THEM TO THINK AGAIN.

4.

FOR UKMIS GENEVA. AS WE SEE IT, UNHCR ARE WELL PLACED TO REINFORCE OUR MESSAGE. THEY ATTACH SIMILAR IMPORTANCE TO THE REGULARITY OF ORP FLIGHTS TO BRING HOME TO THE SCREENED-OUT THAT THE CPA IS WORKING, THAT WE MEAN BUSINESS AND THAT IT IS BETTER TO VOLUNTEER NOW THAN STICK IT OUT IN THE CAMPS. PLEASE THEREFORE ASK THE ASIA BUREAU TO CONSIDER INSTRUCTING UNHCR HANOI TO SUPPORT OUR REQUEST FOR AN ORP I FLIGHT AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

HURD

YYYY

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