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4. IN RESPONSE TO 3(B) OF TUR, ZOLLNER SAID THAT UNHCR WERE
IN PERMANENT CONTACT WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT THROUGH
THEIR OFFICE IN HANOI AND REGULAR HIGH LEVEL EXCHANGES. THEY
CONSIDERED THAT THE ODP WAS MAKING PROGRESS. IT WAS NOW AVERAGING MORE THAN 1,000 PER MONTH: THE LATEST FIGURE WAS
OVER 1,200. BY THE END FOF 1983 THEY EXPECTED TO SEE MONTHLY DAVERAGE F 1,500. THE ODP HAD AN INPORTANT PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT IN DISCOURAGING ILLEGAL DEPARTURES. ZOLLNER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
OTHER FACTORS LIMITING ILLEGAL DEPARTURES WERE THE SHORTAGE
OF SUITABLE BOATS AND LACK OF GOLD JEWELLERY OR COIN
IN THE HANDS OF WOULD-BE REFUGEES. IN ADDITION UNHCR THOUGHT
THAT THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES WERE NOW BEING MORE ACTIVE IN
FRUSTRATING ILLEGAL DEPARTURES, RATHER THAN AS IN THE PAST
SEEKING TO ENCOURAGE THE DEPARTURE OF PEOPLE THEY WANTED TO
BE RID OF,
5. ZOLLNER VOLUNTEERED THAT ALTHOUGH UNHCR RECOGNISED THAT
THE RETURN OF REFUGEES WAS STILL POLITICALLY UNREALISTIC, AND WAS EXPLICITLY EXCLUDED BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES,
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE CONCEPT OF ULTIMATE RETURN ALIVE.
IT MIGHT BE USEFUL WHEN THE SUBSTANTIAL OUT FLOW EASED
AND THE MOMENT CAME TO DEAL WITH RESIDUE.
6. JACKSON RAISED THE POINT IN PARA. 5 OF TUR. I REPLIED AS
INSTRUCTED. JACKSON ACKNOWLEDGED THE FORCE OF THESE ARGUMENTS,
BUT SAID THAT THE PEOPLE WE HAD TO CONVINCE WERE THE
COUNTRIES OF RESETTLENENT, WHO FOUND THIS A CONVENIENT EXCUSE.
FCO PLEASE PASS TO SAVING ADDRESSEES.
LONG
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
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HK & GD
UND
FED
PUSD
NEWS D MAED
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
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BOAT PEOPLE
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