NEW ZEALAND SAYS G-4 AMBASSADORS DECLINE TO

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