TNAG-0886-FCO40-1096-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 63

f

5.

ம்.

(contd)

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(b) quoted Pham Van Dong's earlier statement that

Vietnam was "cooperating with the UNHCR to find out the best solution to this problem";

(c) said Vietnam intended to have bilateral

discussions with each South East Asian country.

However, in a widely reported interview with a local journalist, Vu Hoang, Head of Consular Department in the MFA and leader of the delegation, said he hoped that direct resettlement from Vietnam could start in June at- a rate of 10,000 a month: 20,000 were already registered for departure.

and

6.

The Deputy UNHCR's next visit to Hanoi (which starts .on 23, May) should show more of the Vietnamese hand, in particular how far their lists contain people already included in family reunion lists presented by the U S, Canada and other countries. However, the Vietnamese know that resettlement countries would find it impossible to take 10,000 a month on top of relieving the existing burden through the region. It is difficult to see this as anything other than a ploy designed to provide Vietnam with an excuse for continued acquiescence in (and encouragement of) departures by boat.

Disorderly Outflow

7.

The scale of the future outflow was indicated by Vu Hoang in a widely reported interview with Henry Kamm of the New York Times in which he said that from 400 to 600 thousand people wished to leave and that, criminals apart, Vietnam was ready to let them go. This number referred only to South Vietnam.

8.

The Malaysians told me they expected that a further 750,000 refugees to leave from South Vietnam. The Australians had a similar estimate and are, moreover, convinced that it is only a matter of months before the ASEAN countries pull down the shutters on refugees. Malaysia is already doing so, with 5 to 6 thousand refugees pushed off towards Indonesia in April. Wayne Gibbons (who runs the Australian Refugee Selection Team in Kuala Lumpur) believes that the publicity given to the Galang RPC will draw more refugees towards Indonesia for a month or so but that then the military will step in and try to set up a naval blocade. Before long he believes an increasing proportion of boats from the South will choose

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