b)
c)
d)
W13
4.
encouraged them to seek to broaden other programmes for the refugees;
That, as a result, more should be done to explore the possibility of voluntary repatriation of the refugees. Sheehan commented that the US had previously not been willing to discuss this possibility;
There was agreement that the orderly departure programme (ODP) of voluntary departure from Vietnam was extremely valuable and cut down on the number of boat people trying to leave;
The UN High Commission for Refugees agreed to explore means of expanding programmes for dealing with refugees. The letter dated the 22nd of July from the Commission to members of the Executive Committee of the UNHCR was discussed and the ideas put forward in it should form the basis for further discussion at the next meeting of the Executive Committee in Geneva.
Sheehan said that talk of local resettlement of refugees had been kept extremely confidential since they did not wish to alarm the immediate countries of arrival such as Thailand and Malaysia who might react and send refugees back.
5. I asked whether any more meetings were planned. Sheehan said this was doubtful, certainly no decision had been taken to meet again and there had been little discussion of the possibility of further meetings. Finally Sheehan said that although the ODP is very valuable there is a large backlog of people waiting to come. He said that there were 30,000 waiting to come to Canada and it would take some ten years to deal with this number.
cc-Chancery, Washington
Chancery, Paris
Chancery, Canberra
Chancery, Tokyo
Chancery, UKMIS Geneva
Chancery, KMIS New York
J Brasnett