TNAG-2617-FCO40-3808-Visit-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1992 — Page 163

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30,000 HECTARES PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AS LIKELY TO BE MINE FREE. HALO WOULD ALSO BE SURVEYING A FURTHER 170,000 HECTARES TO ASSESS IF THEY WERE LIKELY TO BE MINED. UNAMIC WOULD THEN

VERIFY HALO'S FINDINGS.

4. MRS OGATA SAID THAT THE BORDER CAMPS WERE VERY WELL ORGANISED. THERE WAS LOTS OF AID. REFUGEES WERE ENJOYING THERE A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD OF LIFE THAN THEY WERE LIKELY

TO FIND ON RETURN TO CAMBODIA. THE RESULTS OF UNHCR'S PRE- REGISTRATION SURVEY SHOWED THAT OVER 90 PER CENT OF REFUGEES WANTED TO GO BACK WITH THE UN, MOSTLY TO THE BATTAMBANG AREA. THE CAMP POPULATION WAS NOW GROWING AS CAMBODIANS SOUGHT TO QUALIFY FOR REHABILITATION AID. UNHCR WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO INTRODUCE A CUT-OFF DATE, ALTHOUGH THE THAIS WERE OPPOSED TO THIS BECAUSE THEY FEARED THAT POST CUT-OFF ARRIVALS WOULD STAY IN THAILAND.

5. MRS OGATA SAID THAT THE THAI FOREIGN MINISTER HAD COMPLAINED TO HER ABOUT THE UN'S RESPONSE TO THEIR OFFER TO HELP WITH DEMINING. THE THAIS HAD COMPLAINED THAT THE UN WERE TREATING THEM WITH LESS RESPECT THAN OTHER DONORS. THEY HAD TRIED TO SECURE THAI AID AT A KNOCK DOWN RATE. MRS OGATA THOUGHT THAT THE THAIS HAD BEEN DISAPPOINTED TO DISCOVER THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE PAID ON DEPLOYMENT. SHE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UN WERE NOT YET COMING IN. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAKE AN EARLY START TO DEMINING AND REPATRIATION BEFORE THE RAINY SEASON. LACK OF FUNDS COULD DELAY THIS.

6. LORD CAITHNESS BRIEFED MRS OGATA ON HIS VISIT TO VIETNAM. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH PROGRESS ON THE REPATRIATION AND REHABILITATION OF VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS. HE HAD FOUND THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES GRATEFUL FOR UNHCR ASSISTANCE. BUT HE BELIEVED WE NEEDE TO LOOK AT A NUMBER OF REFINEMENTS TO THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF MONEY PAID TO INDIVIDUALS AND A CONSEQUENT INCREASE IN FUNDS FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. HE HAD FOUND THEM GOOD USERS OF AID. SMALL SCALE COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT HE HAD VISITED PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT TO LOCAL PEOPLE AND REMOVED THE INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO LEAVE FOR HONG KONG. THE VIETNAMESE REMAINED COMMITTED TO SOLVING THE MIGRANT PROBLEM. BUT THEY WERE BROKE. IT WAS VITAL TO KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM OF RETURNS. ANVAR (WHO WAS ALSO PRESENT) AGREED. HE HAD JUST HEARD THAT THE VIETNAMESE WERE NOW REFUSING TO ACCEPT BACK MORE THAN 1,000 MIGRANTS PER MONTH FROM ALL ASYLUM COUNTRIES COMBINED.

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