We can agree with the High Commissioner that it is important to consider the wider aspects of refugee problems, including more durable solutions, particularly in the Indo- Chinese problem. Resettlement in Western industrialised countries is not always the best solution. In general, we know that UNHCR have favoured voluntary repatriation, but there are obvious difficulties in the case of Indo-Chinese refugees. In the case of Vietnamese refugees, very few have volunteered to go back. We shall continue to urge the Vietnamese Government to accept responsibility for its on citizens who wish to go back.
Britain continues to support the Orderly Departure Programme. We have provided £245,000 since 1983 for this Programme. We continue to take Vietnamese (and a few Cambodian) family reunion cases under this Frogramme. have taken over 2,600 to date and some further 2,000 applicants are in the pipeline.
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The Orderly Departure Programme is quite different from
other refugee activities administered by UNHCR. The reason for the Programme's existence are regrettable. However, we continue to believe on balance that the Programme constitutes an alternative (and I stress the word "alternative") to departures by boat. The latter continue to fall: some 22,000 arrived in the region in 1985 against 25,000 in 1984.
Agencies involved in receiving Orderly Departure Programme cases in Britain have complained that they often receive very short notice of arrivals from Vietnam. I would
like to ask if something can be done to improve this situation.
We would also be interested to hear the High Commissioner's
views on the duration of both the Orderly Departure Programme and the Thai Anti-Piracy Programme.
We agree