RESTRICTED
7.
Kobsak went on to say that ASEAN now accepted that they should talk directly to the Vietnamese asking that Vietnam should not only accept those Vietnamese forcibly repatriated (the economic migrants) but take steps to stop people leaving illegally. Kobsak envisioned that an ASEAN representative would raise these issues directly with the Vietnamese shortly after this policy had been endorsed by Foreign Ministers next month. He thought ASEAN would point out to Vietnam their humanitarian obligations to take these people back, and also the detrimental effect their intransigence on this matter was having on relations with ASEAN Countries. ASEAN are also likely to raise ODP, highlighting the need for enchancement of the existing programmes. Drawing on the analogy of the Lao repatriation programme, we pressed Kobsak on the Thai attitude towards financial assistance for those returning to Vietnam. Kobsak, in response, reiterated his hope that Vietnam would see reason. If they did, then the Thais accepted that a mechanism to affect such repatriation would have to be worked out presumably, as for Laos, by UNHCR. Kobsak thought that if, again as for Laos, this included a small (non-developmental) payment or project to facilitate reintegration this would be acceptable.
COMMENT
8.
It is evident from what Kobsak told us that the Thai MFA are trying to push along the idea of some radical change in current international policy towards Vietnamese refugees, and are prepared to raise the spectre of withdrawing first asylum to achieve their objectives. The Cha-am seminar, convened in light of the tremendous increase in Vietnamese arrivals throughout the region, seems to have served at least to unite ASEAN First Asylum countries behind a common policy. Nothing in the package' to be submitted to the Foreign Minsiters is new, but there is now recognition of the need to link these objectives to one another. Also recognised at Cha-am was the impact of
the impact of one country's actions on others in the region, and thus the need for corporate action.
you tow
Roth
CC : Mrs J Helke, UKMIS New York
Miss D Walker, UKMIS Geneva
Mrs J Wyeth, DRU, ODA
Mr Patridge, Hanoi
ASEAN capitals
Mr R Upton, Hong Kong
Canberra, Ottawa, Washington
Peter Bean
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