TNAG-2617-FCO40-3808-Visit-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1992 — Page 162

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FM BANGKOK

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HICD 02613

RECEIVE

5 FEB 1992

Pe

17)

004352 MDLIAN 7398

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 48

OF 160335Z JANUARY 92

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA

INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, HANOI, PHNOM PENH, UKMIS NEW YORK

FROM PS/LORD CAITHNESS (VISITING)

FCO TELNO 31 (NOT TO ALL): LORD CAITHNESS' MEETING WITH MRS OGATA

SUMMARY

NR

1. MRS OGATA AND LORD CAITHNESS BRIEFED EACH OTHER ON THEIR VISITS TO RESPECTIVELY THE THAI BORDER CAMPS AND TO CAMBODIA

AND VIETNAM. THEY AGREED TO HOLD FULLER DISCUSSIONS IN

GENEVA SOON.

DETAIL

2. LORD CAITHNESS BRIEFED MRS OGATA ON HIS VISIT TO CAMBODIA.

HE HAD FOUND PRINCE SIHANOUK DEPRESSED. SIHANOUK WAS HAVING

DIFFICULTY HOLDING THE SNC TOGETHER. THE HUN SEN

ADMINISTRATION WAS IN A DESPARATE PLIGHT. IT HAS NO INCOME. THE ARMY WAS PAID LATE AND WAS RESORTING TO BANDITRY. EVERYONE WAS WAITING FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE UN SECRETARY- GENERAL'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE AND UNTAC. THE UN WOULD

COME UNDER GREAT PRESSURE TO STAY ON AFTER THE ELECTIONS. UNHCR AID WAS MUCH APPRECIATED, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SLOWNESS OF PAYMENT. LORD CAITHNESS BROUGHT MRS OGATA UP-TO-DATE ON OUR AID WORK. HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF

PROPER COORDINATION BETWEEN THE VARIOUS NGOS.

3. MRS OGATA SAID THAT THE UNHCR HAD COMPLETED A LAND SURVEY

IN CAMBODIA TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL AREAS FOR RETURNING REFUGEES. IT ALSO HAD A COMPLETED SURVEY OF POTENTIALLY MINED AREAS FROM THE HALO TRUST. THE UNHCR WOULD WORK WITH UNAMIC ON DEMINING. ONLY IN AREAS WHERE QUICK PROGRESS WAS ESSENTIAL MIGHT UNHCR ASK THE HALO TRUST SEPARATELY TO CARRY OUT DEMINING. THERE WAS A DIFFICULT BALANCE TO BE STRUCK BETWEEN MAKING EARLY PROGRESS ON RETURNING REFUGEES AND TAKING ADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS TO ENSURE THAT RESETTLEMENT AREAS HAD BEEN THOROUGHLY DEMINED. UNHCR HAD ASKED THE HALO TRUST TO VERIFY

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