EURX-1
UNHCR PUBLISHES PROGRAM FOR ORDERLY EXIT OF PERSONS FROM VIETNAM
Geneva -- The recently drawn up program providing for the orderly departure of persons wishing to leave Vietnam is an "effort to provide a humane option" for those Vietnamese who would normally leave the country by boat, according to Dale de Haan, Depuity U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Recently back from talks in Hanoi (May 25-30) where he concluded a memorandum of understanding with the Vietnamese government providing for the "authorized exit" of Vietnamese for "family reunion and other humanitarian" reasons, the deputy High Commissioner told reporters here June 8:
The agreement "means that if good will and confidence exist on both sides Viet- nam and countries of resettlement there will be a regular and continuing flow of people fome the area...in an orderly way."
Instead of people "running to the shore," they will go to their local authorities in Vietnam and apply for exit permits, Mr. de Haan explained. If no objection is raised by the Vietnamese government to an applicant and if entry visa is issued by a resettlement country the Vietnamese applicant should have no problem emigrating.
Mr. de Haan said that there are currently "over 10,000" entry visas. about 5,000 for the United States alone -- "immediately available," and that these direct depart- ure cases from Vietnam "will not be carried out at the expense of resettlement allo- cations for Southeast Asia" promised for refugees already in camps in countries of first asylum.
"This is not a panaces for boat people, but we believe it can contribute to an amelioration of the boat problem over time," Mr. de Haan said.
"Our office in Hanoi is (already) besieged with letters and telephone alls" from Viet amese wanting to leave under the new orderly departure program, he said, adding that the first movement under the program anticipated at the end of this month.
The program fact puts into writing the tenantve agreemen: reached earlier this year between the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Vietnamese government, and contains no limit on the program's duration nor on the number of departures.
Following are excerpts from the memorandum of understanding between UNHCR and the Vietnamese government: (Begin excerpts)
1. Authorized exit of those people who wish to leave Viet Nam and settle in foreign countries family reunion and other humanitarian cases will be carried cut as soon as possible and to the maximum extent. The number of such people will depend both on the volume of applications for exit from Viet Nam and on receiving countries' ability to issue entry visas.
2. The selection of those people authorized to go abroad under this program will, whenever possible. be made on the basis of the lists prepared by the Vietnamese Government and the lists prepared by the receiving countries. Those persons whose names appear on both lists will qualify for exit. As for those persons whose names appear on only one list, their cases will be subject to discussions between UNHCR and the Vietnamese Government or the Governments of the receiving countries. as appropriate.
3. UNHCR will make every effort to enlist support for this program amongst poten- tial receiving comtries.
4. The Vietnamese Government and UNHCR will each appoint persoanel who will closely co-operate in the implementation of this program.
5. These personnel are authorized to operate in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and, as necessary, to go to other places to promote exit operations.
6. Exit operations will be effected at regular intervals by appropriate means of