CONFIDENTIAL
Root Cause of Refugee Problem
We see oppressive domestic policies of Vietnamese Government as
root cause. I made this point strongly in recent adjournment
debates. We shall continue to urge Hanoi to put its house in
order.
9.
Durable Solutions
10. We shall continue to work with you and others to find durable
solutions to the Indo-Chinese refugee problem. Agree with you that
resettlement in Western industrialised countries the least
satisfactory option. But, as you pointed out in your letter of
3 May to Dame Anne Warburton, solutions need to be provided for many thousands of Indo-Chinese who have spent unacceptable periods confined in camps.
UK Contribution
11. Our record (and Hong Kong's) is good, bearing in mind our lack
of historical links with Indo-China. We have accepted over 19,000
Indo-Chinese. Problems of adaptation, eg very high level of
unemployment (80% until recently), highlighted by SCORRI Report.
12. We continue to accept family reunion and ship rescue cases:
last year we took 752 and 80 respectively.
13. We also participate in your programmes such as ODP, Thai
Anti-Piracy Programme and RASRO.
Repatriation
14.
Agree with you that, were political circumstances satisfactory,
repatriation the ideal solution. Problem is that Vietnamese unlikely to cooperate, as you will have learned during your visit to
Hanoi last September. Also, almost no Vietnamese refugees have
volunteered to return. Without reliable assurances that those
repatriated would not be mistreated, see no prospect of such a
programme. No likelihood that we shall pursue repatriation with
Vietnamese authorities in short to medium term.
15.
Very interested to hear of Thai screening procedure for
Laotians, also mentioned in your letter of 3 May, in which UNHCR
CONFIDENTIAL
/will
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