RESTRICTED
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 36
OF 130807Z JANUARY 92
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
RESTRICTED
HCD 026/3
theD
- FEB 1992
la
INFO ROUTINE UKREP BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
IS
172535
MDHIAN 8897
VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS: MEETINGS WITH MINISTER OF LABOUR AND PRIME MINISTER ON 10 JANUARY
SUMMARY
1. VIETNAMESE MIGRANT PROBLEM DOMINATED DISCUSSIONS. MINISTER OF LABOUR TALKS OF CUTTING HONG KONG'S COSTS AND RETURNING MIGRANTS MORE QUICKLY. PRIME MINISTER RE-AFFIRMS VIETNAM'S COMMITTMENT TO STABILTY AND SEEKS ASSISTANCE IN LIFTING US EMBARGO.
DETAIL
2. THE MINISTER OF LABOUR TRAN DINH HOAN (WHOSE MINISTRY IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN RECEPTION, REINTEGRATION AND EC PROJECT ON MIGRANTS) HOPED THAT VIETNAM HAD FULFILLED ALL COMMITMENTS TO BRITAIN AND THE BOAT PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME GOOD MOVES TOWARDS SOLUTION, VIETNAM HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES. HE WISHED TO HEAR LORD CAITHNESS' IDEAS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ACTION PLAN. LORD CAITHNESS REPLIED AT LENGTH REHEARSING THE ARGUMENTS FOR KEEPING UP THE MOMENTUM AND COMPLETING AGREEMENT ON ORP II. HE REMINED HOAN OF HOW MUCH AID HAD BEEN COMMITTED AND SAID THAT HE WOULD SEEK TO REMEDY ANY DELAYS. HE ASKED HOW HOAN SAW THE REINTEGRATION SCHEMES.
3. HOAN SAID VIETNAM'S ECONOMY WAS SUFFERING AFTER LONG YEARS OF WAR. PEOPLE LEFT FOR ECONOMIC REASONS AND THEREFORE IT WAS IMPORTANT FIRST TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS 12,180 MIGRANTS AND RETURNED FROM HONG KONG AND THERE WERE DIFFICULTIES IN HELPING THEM RESETTLE. VIETNAM HAD CALCULATED THAT IT COST USD 100 MILLION A YEAR TO FEED MIGRANTS IN THE HK CAMPS, BUT IN VIETNAM ONLY ONE THIRD OR ONE HALF OF THAT WAS NEEDED TO RESETTLE PEOPLE. THIS SUM COULD BE USED TO GIVE LOANS TO RETURNEES. TO RESETTLE THE 12,000 THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT NEEDED ABOUT UDS 6 MILLION, BUT HAD ONLY SO FAR RECEIVED USD 4 MILLION. HE AGREED WITH THE EC TRAINING AND CREDIT SCHEMES (ALTHOUGH IMPLEMENTATION WAS SLOW) BUT THOUGHT TOO MUCH WAS BEING SPENT ON FOREIGN CONSULTANTS FOR ANTI-DEPARTURE PROPAGANDA. REITEGRATION MONEY
1
PAGE RESTRICTED