ANNEX A
As Delivered
ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME (ODP) CONSULTATIONS WITH THE
VIETNAMESE DELEGATION: GENEVA: 15 DECEMBER 1988: 3.30 PM
SPEAKING NOTE
Opening Remarks/General
Mr Chairman, Minister,
Thanks to UNHCR for arranging the meeting, which gives us a
further opportunity to discuss the Orderly Departure Programme
with the delegation from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The British authorities welcome these exchanges of views on
the programme, which retains our firm support. I should also
thank UNHCR for making possible our bilateral meeting this
morning with the Vietnamese Delegation, which we found both
encouraging and useful. We share a common perception of the
problem and the possible solutions of it.
Detail
We
The British ODP is purely a family reunion exercise.
welcome recent improvements and changes. We have taken 348
Vietnamese under the ODP during 1988 (up to 31 October) and we
have stressed the importance of ODP as the main channel for
departures from Vietnam. The large-scale clandestine outflow
from Vietnam emphasises the need to put maximum effort into
facilitating the Orderly Departure Programme and processing