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5. The Director of the Vietnamese illegal immigrant Taskforce in a recent discussion with a member of Chancery speculated that if there we a slow-down in the offtake of refugees to the US (at present they spend between four and nine months in
The Americans camps) this might have some deterrent effect. have told us that they have not yet been approached officially along these lines, but the fact that a senior official is willing to speculate in this way suggests that a change of policy might be under consideration. Malaysia's Representative at the UN in Geneva made clear in a speech at a meeting of the 32nd Session of the UNHCR Executive Committee that Malaysia was aware that arrivals from Vietnam were now looking for greener pastures and were of a different category from the earlier refugees. This tended to undermine the basis under which first asylum was granted. Although he stressed that this view did not represent a change of policy, it might well be an indication that pressures in the direction of a tougher policy in line with the Thais can no longer be resisted.
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As far as a solution to the refugee problem is concerned, the Malaysians firmly believe that it must be solved at source. They support the orderly departure programme, although they have doubts about its effectiveness. They also hope that Vietnam will views increase the control and prevention of illegal departures made clear by the Malaysian Representative at the recent Geneva meeting. But Malaysian ability to put pressure on Vietnam on the refugee question is limited by their wish to continue the dialogue with Vietnam on Cambodia. So it seems likely that any new tougher approach to the refugee problem from the countries of first asylum will have to emanateelsewhere.
You
ALAN WHITE
Chanceries Bangkok
Hanoi
Jakarta
Manila
Singapore
UKMIS New York
UKMIS Geneva
Washington
Canberra
Ottawa
Hong Kong
Research Dept, FCO
D Partride Esq, MVD
UND
Assessment Staff
Home Office (Lunar House)
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