(C) AMBASSADOR MEETS UNHCR TO DISCUSS UIGHURS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PHNOM PENH 000913 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, PRM GENEVA FOR RMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2019 TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV PHUM CB SUBJECT: (C) AMBASSADOR MEETS UNHCR TO DISCUSS UIGHURS Classified By: DCM THEODORE ALLEGRA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During a meeting December 14 with Ambassador Rodley, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) officials recounted a "very positive" discussion with Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) officials regarding the 22 Uighur asylum-seekers in Cambodia. According to UNHCR, the RGC reaffirmed its commitment to the Refugee Convention principles and requested UNHCR's assistance in providing interpretation and protection for the Uighurs. The UNHCR officials opined that it would be several weeks before the cases would all be adjudicated, during which time more secure protection would be provided. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Ambassador met December 14 with UNHCR officials Deputy Regional Representative from Thailand Giuseppe de Vincentis and Senior Protection Officer in Phnom Penh Toshitsuki Kawauchi. De Vincentis related the results of his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng earlier the same morning, and characterized the meeting as very positive. The RGC reaffirmed at the outset its commitment to abide by the Refugee Convention principles and confirmed its interest in continuing with the joint refugee status determination process, which has been the standard procedure in asylum cases since late 2008. ¶3. (C) De Vincentis informed the Ambassador that the RGC requested UNHCR assistance in two areas: interpretation and protection. The RGC specifically requested interpreters to assist with status determination interviews. On that, De Vincentis said he told the DPM that a Mandarin-speaking interpreter from Bangkok has been assigned to assist with the four or five cases where the asylum-seekers speak Mandarin, and that interpreter was expected to arrive in Phnom Penh on December 15. For the remaining asylum-seekers who do not speak Mandarin, a likely Uighur interpreter from Kazakhstan has been identified, and UNHCR is working to bring that interpreter to Phnom Penh within a few days. ¶4. (C) On providing protection and security, De Vincentis said that he and Sar Kheng agreed to relocate the Uighurs from their current unsecured locations to a single site with improved security. De Vincentis said that UNHCR officers are now working to locate an acceptable site, with a view toward moving the group on December 15 or 16. The Ambassador welcomed this news, but stressed the importance of having UNHCR protection officers or, at the very least, a protection advocate from Jesuit Refugee Services, at the site to protect against unofficial contact by unauthorized agents. ¶5. (C) De Vincentis said that Sar Kheng also emphasized his desire to expedite these cases. Although UNHCR would expedite cases, where possible, De Vincentis noted that UNHCR could not act too precipitously, stating that every case should receive careful attention and consideration. The Ambassador urged immediate action on the Uighur cases, however, given the large official Chinese presence in Cambodia, the strong ties between the RGC and Government of China, and the wide latitude for operation of Chinese agents in Cambodia. In response to Ambassador's question, De Vincentis said Sar Kheng did not directly raise the issue of official intervention from China, but made reference to the RGC's "difficult position due to pressure from outside forces." The Ambassador emphasized that the continued public silence by China could actually increase the likelihood of risk to the group. ¶6. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's question about the duration of the refugee status determination process, De Vincentis emphasized that the Uighur cases may take longer than usual due to interpretation issues or other complicating factors. All that said, he said he estimated that these cases could be resolved "within 2 or 3 weeks." De Vincentis confirmed that UNHCR Geneva and Washington were equally focused on the situation, and said UNHCR would not hesitate to inform the Embassy if they encountered a need for assistance. RODLEY