US embassy cable - 05WELLINGTON855

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000855 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EAP/ANP, EUR/AGS, EUR/NB, AND WHA/CAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, PREL, NZ 
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND SAYS G-4 AMBASSADORS DECLINE TO 
INTERVIEW RETURNED VIETNAM CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REFUGEES 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 198727 
     B. HANOI 2837 
 
1.  (SBU) On October 28, Acting DCM conveyed Ref A points to 
Chris Anderson, Deputy Director of the South-South East Asia 
Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  She 
urged that the G-4 Ambassadors visit with returned refugees 
during their upcoming trip to the Central Highlands, and 
noted UNHCR's support for direct interviews. 
 
2.  (SBU) Anderson phoned back late in the day on November 1 
to say that the NZ Embassy in Hanoi had just informed her 
that although the Ambassadors would engage local authorities 
on the issue of returned refugees, they still thought it best 
not to meet with individual refugees.  The Embassy told 
Anderson the Ambassadors believed it would be difficult to 
verify the identity of those interviewed. The Ambassadors 
also decided that monitoring refugees would only be practical 
if done on a continuing basis, in case local authorities 
later created problems for the interviewees. 
 
3.  (SBU) Anderson said that the G-4 Ambassadors would 
nevertheless take along with them a UNHCR list of returned 
refugees, and would visit individuals on the list if the 
local authorities requested this.  Anderson said the G-4 
planned to brief Embassy Hanoi on their decision before their 
trip. 
Burnett