CONFIDENTIAL
11426
-
FRENCH
ALL THESE PREOCCUPATIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAMME. OUR MAIN CONCERNS
ARE THE PRESENT TREND TOWARDS LOWER NUMBERS COMING OUT OF
VIETNAM UNDER THE ODP, AND THE DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING EXIT
PERMITS FOR THOSE WHOSE RELATIONS LEFT VIETNAM BY BOAT, IE,
QUOTE ILLEGALLY UNQUOTE IN VIETNAMESE EYES. YOU SHOULD INDICATE
TO FUNSETH THAT WE INTEND TO MENTION THIS TO THE VIETNAMESE AT
THE 2 OCTOBER MEETING. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO FIND OUT WHAT
RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE ON TACTICS. AS REGARDS THE LOWER
NUMBERS WE GATHER THAT THIS IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY MOST IF NOT
ALL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. IT MIGHT THEREFORE BE WORTH CO-
ORDINATING YOUR LINE WITH SAY THE AMERICANS, CANADIANS,
AND WEST GERMANS BEFORE THE 2 OCTOBER MEETING. TACTICS REGARDING
DIFFICULT CASES MIGHT ALSO BE DISCUSSED WITH THE AMERICANS. IN
THIS CASE WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT OUR LACK OF INFLUENCE OR
POLITICAL LEVERS ON THEVIETNAMESE MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US
TO INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUAL CASES. UNHCR IN HANOI TEND
TO GIVE CAUTIOUS ADVICE, IE, THAT INTERVENTION WILL, IN MANY
CASES, BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE PARTICULARLY WHERE RE-EDUCATION
CAMP INTERNMENT IS INVOLVED. YOU SHOULD ASK THE AMERICANS
WHETHER THEY BELIEVE THAT THE TIME MAY HAVE COME TO PUT GREATER
PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE ON INDIVIDUAL CASES. THE APPARENTLY
MORE COOPERATIVE ATTITUDE OF VIETNAMESE ON MIAS MAY BE RELEVANT
HERE.
2 OCTOBER MEETING
3.
BROADLY SPEAKING OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE ODP REMAINS AS SET
OUT IN NASH'S LETTER OF 26 SEPTEMBER 1984, PARAS 1-4. ADDITIONAL
POINTS SHOULD BE MADE AS FOLLOWS:
(I) CONCERN AT THE LOWER RATE OF DEPARTURES THIS YEAR UNDER THE
ODP (SEE ANNEX A TO WOOD'S LETTER OF 23 JULY, COPY OF WHICH
FOLLOWS BY BAG):
(II) CONTINUING DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING EXIT VISAS FOR FAMILIES
OF THOSE WHOSE RELATIVES LEFT BY BOAT.
YOU SHOULD ALSO MENTION THE POINT ABOUT BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION,
PROVINCIAL CASES AND MEDICAL SCREENING WHICH THE AMERICANS HAVE
MENTIONED (PARA 1 II, V AND VI REFER).
4.
WE DO NOT THINK THAT THERE IS ANY REASON TO ARRANGE A
2
CONFIDENTIAL
1