XN000022-1996-01-08 — Page 28

27 -

Mr Rifkind: So far as the Vietnamese boat people are concerned, that obviously requires the co-operation of the Vietnamese Government. What we have seen is, I think originally there were about some 60,000 of such persons, that's now down to about 21,000 - 22,000. The Vietnamese Government have undertaken to allow the repatriation of a certain number each month and if they comply with that undertaking then that will resolve the problem within the time scale to which you have referred, and that is what we are working to, that is what we very much hope will happen. It is not easy. It is not straightforward. There are sometimes assurances given which are not fully complied with or are complied with over a longer time scale. But if the assurances that have been given by the Vietnamese authorities are accepted, then we can be confident that the problem will have been fully resolved by June of next year, indeed before June of next year. But that does depend on their co-operation and that is what we will be using all the power at our disposal to ensure is delivered, but it has to take into account that fact.

Mr Allen Lee: But will they do it? My question is, if they don't do it....

Mr Rifkind: It has come down from 60,000 to 22,000, so there has been a huge amount of progress, a lot has been achieved. There is no fundamental problem of principle to overcome. The Vietnamese Government do not refuse to contemplate the completion of this task, it has already been largely completed. They have given certain assurances to allow further numbers to be returned, repatriated to Vietnam, so that ought to be encouraging. But we will have to keep the pressure up and will indeed do so, to seek to get them to implement, as has happened in the past, the remaining problem that still requires to be addressed.

Mr James To (in Chinese): Chairman, a question for the Foreign Secretary. As you have just said, you need the co-operation of the Vietnamese authorities. Now I believe that the UK and the EU, both politically and economically can make Vietnam co- operate. Now I am sure you understand what I am saying, that you have different ways to make them co- operate. Now for instance, previously there was financial support and the EU, also through trade agreements, also managed to get co-operation. So can you and the European Union do anything there? I am now talking about 2,000 not 20,000; 2,000 who have been given Vietnamese refugee status and yet they have not been taken up by any third country. So I would like to ask a question in relation to humanitarian treatment and moral obligation: would you be willing to take the 2,000?