TNAG-1531-FCO40-2095-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1987 — Page 186

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- 4 DEC 1986

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TELNO 585

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YOUR TELNO 389 (NOT TO ALL): ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME (ODP)

SUMMARY

1.

UNSATISFACTORY MEETNING WITH VIETNAMESE BELEGATION. VIETNAMESE CONCENTRATE ON IMPORTANCE FOR THEM OF RECEIVING COUNTRIES CLEARING

BACK-LOG OF PEOPLE ALREADY #SSUED WITH EXIT. VISAS. THEY DỤCKED

QUESTIONS ABOUT REDUCED ODP DEPARTURES AND ADMMINKISTRATIVE SHORTCOMINGS AND UNCOOPERATIVENESS, DISCOURAGAING VIETNAMESE RESPONSE ON VOLUNTARY REPATRIATHION.

DETAIL

2. VIETNAMESE DELEGATHON LED BY ASSISTANT MASTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS VO VAN SUNG ATTENDED MEETING ON 3 NOVEMBER UNDER UNHCR AUSPUNCES WITH COUNTRIES PARTICIPATHING IN ODP OR RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

3. VO VAN SUNG SAND THAT VIETNAM WAS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAD EXÉT MUSAS TO LEAVE VIETNAM BUT WHO HAD NOT YET RECEIVED PERMUSSHION TO GO TO RECEDNING STATES. THERE WERE 20,000 PEOPLE ON THIS CATEGORY, PRIMARILY IN THE VICINITY OF HO CHI MINH CUITY. (THE FRENCH HAD TOLD US EARLIER THAT THE VIETNAMESE HAD CLAIMED TO THEM THAT THERE WERE 100,000 PEOPLE WITH EXIT VINSAS OF WHOM 20,000 WISHED TO GO TO FRANCE). MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT WORKING OR SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. THIS SHITUATION WAS CAUSING GRAVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS. VIIETNAM WANTED

CERTAIN RECEANNING COUNTRIES'' TO HELP RESOLVE THIS #ISSUE QUICKLY.

4. VO VAN SUNG ADDED THAT PURPOSE OF ODP WAS TO LIMIT AND EVENTUALLY TO ELIMINATE ILLEGAL DEPARTURES. BUT SUCH WILLEGAL DEPARTURES WERE BEING ENCOURAGED BY THE PRESENCE OF MERCY SHIIPS HIN THE REQUON. ALTHOUGH WIETNAM RECOGNISED THAT THESE SHIPS WERE NOT DIRECTLY CONTROLLED BY GOVERNMENTS THEY APPEALED TO COUNTRUES CONCERNED NOT TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO SUCH ACTIINANTILES.

5. THE ASSISTANT MINISTER ALSO SAND THAT THERE WERE 20,000 KAMPUCHEAN REFUGEES ON VIIETNAM, HE APPEALED FOR MORE RESETTLEMENT OFFERS AND FOR INCREASED FINANCIAL AND TO THOSE AWAMUTINNG

RESETTLEMENT.

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