XN000022-1991-10-29 — Page 5

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1991

THERE ARE CERTAIN POINTS I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE ABOUT THE AGREEMENT. FIRST OF ALL, AND IN PARTICULAR WHEN WE ARR TALKING ABOUT THE NEW ARRIVALS, THE NORMAL SCREENING PROCEDURE WILL APPLY. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF A SHORT-CUT SCREENING. THE NORMAL SCREENING PROCEDURE WILL APPLY; PEOPLE WILL BE ADVISED OF PROCEDURE; UNHCR WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE SCREENING INTERVIEWS; PEOPLE WILL BE GIVEN LEGAL ASSISTANCE BY AVS, AS THEY ARE NOW.

THE

SECONDLY, IT IS OF COURSE OUR INTENTION TO ENCOURAGE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, VOLUNTARY RETURN, AND WE SHALL BE WORKING IN THE CAMPS AND TOGETHER WITH THE UNHCR AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO THIS END. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR POSITION, AND I HAVE REPEATED IT MANY TIMES, THAT VOLUNTARY AND MANDATORY REPATRIATION ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. WE BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE IN FACT COMPLIMENTARY AND IT CERTAINLY WILL BE OUR INTENTION TO ENCOURAGE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY ALL OF THEM, TO RETURN VOLUNTARILY.

AGAIN RECEIVED

THIRDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE HAVE ONCE AND THIS 18 ENSHRINED IN THE STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING THE VIETNAMESE GUARANTEES THAT PERSONS RETURNING WILL NOT BE SUBJECT ΤΟ PERSECUTION OR HARASSMENT, AND WILL NOT BE PROSECUTED FOR HAVING LEFT VIETNAM ILLEGALLY.

BE

AND FOURTHLY I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT UNHCR WILL MONITORING AND RENDERING ASSISTANCE TO ALL THOSE WHO RETURN UNDER THIS ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMME IN THE SAME WAY AS THEY MONITOR AND ASSIST THOSE WHO RETURN UNDER THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME.

THE AGREEMENT WHICH WE HAVE REACHED

AMOUNTS, IN MY

VIEW,

TO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CPA. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEKING FOR THE PAST THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE OF THE NON-REFUGEFS MUST BE IN VIETNAM AND WE THINK IT IS IN THEIR INTERESTS, OUR INTERESTS, AND EVERYBODY'S INTERESTS THAT THE PERIOD OF UNCERTAINTY TO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED SHOULD NOW COME TO AN END. WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE IN THEIR INTERESTS AND IT IS THE HUMANITARIAN SOLUTION TO PUT THEM OUT OF THE UNCERTAINTY THEY HAVE BEEN IN AND TO ENABLE THEM TO FACE THE FACTS OF THEIR FUTURE AND COME TO TERMS WITH IT.

THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WE HAVE NEGOTIATED ALLOW PEOPLE TO RETURN TO VIETNAM WITHOUT ANY FEAR THAT THEY WILL BE PERSECUTED THERE. THANK YOU.

QUESTION:

CAN YOU TELL ME WHEN THE FIRST RETURNEES ARE LIKELY TO BE SENT BACK TO VIETNAM?

ALISTAIR ASPREY: WE HAVE SAID THAT THE FIRST PEOPLE TO BE RETURNED WILL PROBABLY BE THE DOUBLE-BACKERS AND THAT WE EXPECT THAT THEY WILL BE RETURNED IN NOVEMBER; THAT REMAINS THE POSITION.

AS REGARDS THE

NEW

NEW

ARRIVALS, THAT DEPENDS VERY MUCH OF COURSE WHEN WE GET THE FIRST ARRIVALS, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY NOW FOR OVER A WEEK. AS I SAID, I WOULD EXPECT THAT IT WILL TAKE ABOUT SIX WEEKS FROM DATE OF ARRIVAL TO GO THROUGH THE SCREENING PROCESS BEFORE RETURN TO VIETNAM.

/QUESTION: