TNAG-1788-FCO40-2548-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1988 — Page 59

VU

INTERVIEW WITH MR VỤ KHOAN ASSISTANT TO THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF VIETNAM

DO VAN

VỤ KHOAN

DO VAN

ƯU KHOAN

DO VAN

VU KHOẢN

DO VAN

VỤ KHOAN

Please tell me have you any suggestions for this trip to solve the problem of the boat people ?

We have come here to continue the talks with the representatives of the British and Hong Kong governments. In August, 1988 we reached a number of agreements but we still have a number of problems to be solved. Therefore we have come here now with all our goodwill with the hope that we will reach basic agreements with the British and Hong Kong governments.

Can you tell us about the first agreements you have reached ?

If you read the joint press statement between us and the Hong Kong and British government in August 1988, at least you can find that we have reached these agreements. First we both agree this is an historical social problem and we need measures to solve this problem based on realities. Second, we agreed that to solve this problem we have to count on the legal systems of each country as well as international law and international realities. And third we agreed this problem must be solved according to the spirit of humanity, fourth we have agreed to the second round of talks, and now we are here for the second round of talks.

Can you tell us the reason why people keep on leaving Vietnam although their number is now diminishing but they are still leaving the country?

This situation is related to many factors. We just cannnot simply say it is related to any obvious reason because there are many different situations. There are people who want to be reunited with their families and if they want to leave legally there are complicated procedures to accept them in other countries. Therefore they try to leave illegally. There are many people who want to find new lives and think they can find a better standard of living, they will mis-understand and they keep leaving the country. There are a number of related historical and social issues as well as separated families, each one in one part of the world and they want to be together. That is why each person has an individual case. There is no general rule.

In the case of the people in Hong Kong what worries them most at the moment is what will happen to them when they return to Vietnam. This applies to the people who volunteered as well as those who might be forced to return. Can you clarify the position how will you treat people who return voluntarily and the people who are forced to return? I believe those

people would like to hear from you and hear your point of view.

I must say to leave the country by boat like that is an illegal act because citizens of any normal country must go through normal procedures; for example they must have passports and visas of another country willing to take them. Therefore leaving by boat is an illegal act, but within our law we have considered this factor. Therefore our law has humane measures to treat people who leave the country provided they are not enemies of the country. As far as people who volunteer to return are concerned the Vietnamese government is prepared to consider and let them go home as well as create favourable conditions for them to be re-settled as well as earning a living like other citizens. But as a citizen of Vietnam they have a duty to help re-build the country and develop the economy, they cannot be so selfish and think only of themselves while other people work hard to re-build the country. Obviously for the people who are not willing to return, of course we respect their wish to re-settle in other places. As far as we are concerned we do not think we should use force to bring them back because it is against our morality and human rights as laid down by the United Nations.