CODE 18-77
H of
کرتے
Off wastin जिल
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference
UNHCR
1. HE and I attended Mr Smyser's briefing on 9 December on his recent visits to the Far East and Central America. concentrated almost entirely on Vietnam and Honduras.
Vietnam
He
There
2. Mr Smy ser said that the Vietnamese had shown a lot of interest in improving the arrangements for the Orderly Departure Programme (ODP). He distributed copies of a joint communique which was issued in Hanoi on 19 November (copy attached). are three main points; a higher rate of departures, UNHCR to request donors for more funds, and Vietnam's agreement to look at UNHCR's request for improved working arrangements. Mr Smy ser said that he had told the Vietnamese officials that the donors would not respond to an appeal for further funds unless there was progress in the numbers leaving under ODP and an improvement in the working arrangements. In particular there would have to be increases in the European countries programmes. He referred to the Vietnamese proposal to produce their own lists. The operative date for introducing the lists had been put back from 1 January to 1 April at UNHCR's request. The question of details such as addresses and professions of sponsors' remains open. Although the Vietnamese accept that some people had bribed officials to put their names on the list they point out that it does include some deserving cases. They want only that recipient countries look at the list Eympathetically.
3. Turning to the Cambodians Mr Smy ser said that the Vietnamese had asked if some 8,000 in Vietnam could be resettled. UNHCR had asked for a list of these people but had given no encouragement that places could be found. On the question of repatriation to Vietnam, Ha Van Lau had taken a tough line. Those who had left Vietnam and chosen the easy life when things were difficult should stay away. None would be allowed back. The odd case of individuals kidnapped when boats put to sea or of unaccompanied minors would be looked at individually but from what they heard in Hanoi UNHCR believed that there is no likelihood of an early Vietnam repatriation programme. The Vietnamese had said that cases involving sponsors who left illegally after May 1979 would be looked at individually. Mr Smyser thought that there was an anomaly here. The Vietnamese were indicating that these cases would not receive automatic approval but at the same time were stressing the wish to cut down on the number of illegal departures. UNHCR believe that the Vietnamese have not yet thought through their policies on these two issues. Finally no new target figures for the ODP had been discussed. During the talks in Geneva in October the Vietnamese had mentioned 2000 a month but UNHCR did not think this was administratively possible at the present time.
Honduras
4. Turning to Central America Mr Smyser said that he had spent three days in Honduras but Mr Koulischer and his team had been there a little longer. Honduras was desperately poor, it had refugees from three other countries, and there was a great