RESTRICTED
172535
MDHIAN 88971
MUST (MUST) COME AT THE SAME PACE AS RETURNING MIGRANTS.
4. THE MEETING ENDED BY LORD CAITHNESS SAYING THAT HE TRUSTED VIETNAM TO CONTINUE FULFILLING ITS OBLIGATIONS, AND HOPED THAT THE MODALITIES FOR ORP II COULD BE SIGNED. IN TURN HOAN WOULD HAVE TO TRUST HIM TO GO TO UNHCR, EC AND CAPITALS TO GET MORE MONEY.
5. AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE THE PRIME MINISTER WARMLY WELCOMED LORD CAITHNESS AND SAID VIETNAM APPRECIATED THE ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION BRITAIN HAD GIVEN SO FAR. SINCE THE AGREEMENT ON CAMBODIA THEY COULD LOOK TO DEVELOPING OTHER POLICIES AND BUILD ON RESULTS ACHIEVED. LORD CAITHNESS REFERRED TO THE HOSPITALITY HE HAD RECEIVED AND SAID HE WAS STRUCK BY THE PACE OF CHANGE. HE HOPED THAT WITH MUTUAL TRUST THE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED STEP BY STEP. HE HOPED FOR A MONTHLY FLIGHT OF NON-VOLUNTEERS AND TO MAINTAIN THE PACE ON VOLUNTEERS. HE SAID THAT THE REINTEGRATION PROGRAMME WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO KEEP PACE WITH THE INCREASING RETURNS AND HE WOULD SEEK TO RESOLVE ANY DELAYS. HE ALSO REFERRED TO THE CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT INTEREST IN VIETNAM SHOWN BY BRITISH COMPANIES AND LOOKED FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THE AWAITED ROUND OF ALLOCATIONS OF EXPLORATION ACREAGE.
6. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THE US EMBARGO WAS THE MAIN OUTSTANDING PROBLEM FOR VIETNAM. IN FACT USA WAS NOW ABOUT THE ONLY COUNTRY WITH WHICH VIETNAM DID NOT HAVE NORMAL RELATIONS. LIFTING THE EMBARGO WAS THE KEY TO SOLVING THE ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES OF THE COUNTRY, WHICH HAD LED TO PEOPLE LEAVING. RESETTLEMENT WAS A THORNY PROBLEM FOR VIETNAM AS WELL. LORD CAITHNESS SAID BRITAIN WOULD CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR A LIFTING OF
THE EMBARGO.
7.
LORD CAITHNESS HOPED FOR A SOLUTION TO THE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM AND THAT MUTUAL RELATIONS WOULD GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH. BRITAIN THEREFORE WAS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING CONSULAR REPRESENTATION IN HCMC. HE SAID BRITIAN WOULD BE MAKING A DONATION TOWARDS COSTS FOLLOWING THE RECENT STORMS. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM OVER AN OFFICE IN HCMC AND WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE DONATION.
COMMENTS
8. USEFUL DISCUSSIONS IN A FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE WHICH CONFIRMED
VIETNAM'S COMMITTMENT TO STABILTIY AND TO SOVLING THE BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM.