CONFIDENTIAL
114050
MDHTAN 8931
A)
VIETNAM WOULD NOT ACCEPT NON-VOLUNTEERS
B) IF THEY DID THEY WOULD DEMAND A POLITICAL QUID PRO QUO
C) RETURNEES SAFETY COULD NOT BE GUARANTEED
D) THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT CAPACITY AT THE HANOI RECEPTION CENTRE. E) THE UK WOULD HAVE LITTLE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
F) THERE HAS BEEN INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION
TO WORK
G) THE 1300 (SIC) VBP VOLUNTEERS IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE RETURNED
FIRST
H) THE UK HAD NOT YET PRESSED VIETNAM SUFFICIENTLY HARD ON A PROGRAMME FOR VOLUNTEERS.
IN ASSURANCES
5. THE MFA HAS CHOSEN NOT TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS DEMARCHE. TSUNOZAKI WAS HOWEVER VERY INTERESTED IN THE NATURE OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULAR ON THE TREATMENT OF RETURNEES. WOULD THEY BE SUBJECT TO PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL EMIGRATION ? WOULD NGO'S BE ALLOWED TO MONITOR THEIR TREATMENT ? WE WERE ABLE TO ASSURE ON BOTH POINTS.
6. TSUNOZAKI ALSO ASKED ABOUT POSSIBLE UNHCR INVOLVEMENT IN MONITORING AND WHETHER WE WOULD BE PRESSING THEM TO EXPAND RECEPTION FACILITIES IN HANOI. JAPAN WOULD BE SENDING A REPRESENTATIVE FROM AND NGO TO HANOI IN EARLY JANUARY TO INVESTIGATE SETTING UP A VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE FOR VOLUNTARY RETURNEES.
COMMENT
7. THE MFA'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE BUT ARE WAITING TO GUAGE THE STRENGTH OF THE US REACTION.
WHITEHEAD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
61
VIETNAMESE REPATRIATION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
DISTRIBUTION
63
PS
PS/MR
MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
2