TNAG-1537-FCO40-2101-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 22

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NO. 179

new cases.

But

anticipate will come to the United States as immigrants.

this appearance of continuity does not change the fact that the

ODP has encountered serious setbacks. On January 1, 1986, the

Vietnamese government unilaterally suspended interviewing of

Departures from Vietnam have continued at about

seventy-five percent of the rate of last year from the pool of

applicants interviewed for resettlement in the U.S. before

interviewing was suspended. We have had three working-level

meetings with the Vietnamese under UNHCR auspices, the most

recent one just last month, to try to resolve the problem.

continue to hope interviewing can resume without further

unnecessary delay. Our proposed unallocated admissions reserve

would give us the flexibility to handle additional admissions

should we manage to get ODP operating at full steam.

We

The ODP

Over 100,000 people have been able to leave Vietnam under

the Orderly Departure Program, nearly half to the United

States, the remainder to some 30 other countries. In fact,

just last week the 50,000th person left Vietnam for

resettlement in the United States under this program.

was established by agreement between the UNHCR and the

Government of Vietnam to provide a safe alternative to the

hazards of flight by sea. We want to see it restored and

improved as soon as possible.