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HKA 020/14.
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166315
MDHIAN 8636
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FM HANOI
TO DESKBY 10090OZ FCO
TELNO 23
OF 10011OZ JANUARY 92
10 JAN 1992
Ра
ime
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
MIPT: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE ON COSTS
SUMMARY
1 THE VIETNAMESE INSIST THAT THEY WISH TO HONOUR THE
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AGREEMENT TO RETURN THE MIGRANTS, BUT THAT THE ONLY OUTSTANDING PROBLEM IS ON COST. THEY OFFER TO RECEIVE REMAINING MIGRANTS IN HONG KONG'S CAMPS IN THREE, OR EVEN TWO, YEARS IF PAYMENTS MATCH RETURNS. THEY POINT OUT THE SAVINGS TO HONG KONG. THEY ARE READY TO SIGN MODALITIES FOR ORP II NOW IF UK IS PREPARED TO REGISTER ITS COMMITTMENT IN PARALLEL. THEY REPORT RUMOURS OF A LARGE BOAT POISED TO SAIL TO AUSTRALIA WITH SOUTHERN MIGRANTS.
DETAIL
2. OFFICIALS FROM CONSULAR DEPT MFA, MINISTRY OF INTERIOR AND MINISTRY OF LABOUR ATTENDED THE MEETING WITH BURNS AND BYRDE ON 9 JANUARY. NGUYEN DINH BIN, DIRECTOR CONSULAR DEPT, SAID THAT THE OUTSTANDING DIFFICULTY IN SIGNING ORP II MODALITIES WAS ON COSTS. EVEN IF THE MONEY ALREADY COMMITTED IN UNHCR AND EC WAS COMING THROUGH PROPERLY, WHICH IT WAS NOT, THIS WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH FOR REINTEGRATION. THEY THOUGHT THAT HONG KONG CAMPS COST ABOUT USD 100 TO 150 MILLION A YEAR TO RUN. IF MORE FUNDS WERE MADE AVAILABLE FOR RE-INTEGRATION, RELATED TO THE NUMBERS OF RETURNS, THEN THE OBSTACLES TO SIGNING WOULD BE REMOVED. BIN SUGGESTED THAT IF, SAY, IT COST HONG KONG USD 300 MILLION TO RUN THE CAMPS FOR A FURTHER THREE YEARS, THEN A GRANT TO VIETNAM OF USD 100 MILLION WOULD ENABLE THEM TO RECEIVE ALL RETURNS IN TWO YEARS AND BOTH WOULD BENEFIT. VIETNAM WANTED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM QUICKLY.
3. TRINH VAN LE (LABOUR) THEN WENT INTO DETAILS. HE SAID THAT WE ALL KNEW THAT THE MAIN REASON FOR DEPARTURE WAS ECONOMIC, THEREFORE WE HAD TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM TO SETTLE PEOPLE BACK AND STOP THEM LEAVING. THREE QUARTERS OF THE UNHCR FIRST YEAR RE-SETTLEMENT GRANT OF USD 360 WAS SPENT ON FOOD CA POINT WE DISPUTED). FISHERMEN NEEDED USD 5-10,000 FOR A NEW BOAT AND FAMILIES, THE SAME FOR A NEW HOUSE (BOTH AMOUNTS OPEN TO CHALLENGE).
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