TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 26

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162101

MDLIAN 7128

GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM ON THE EXPANSION AND LIBERALIZATION OF THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME (ODP) IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE SAFE

MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE OUT OF VIETNAM. THE DISORDERLY OUTFLOW INTO NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES HAS CREATED DOMESTIC POLITICAL AND SOCIAL STRAINS, AND RAISED LEGITIMATE NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS IN THESE COUNTRIES.

で

THE UNHCR HAS ALSO INDICATED THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT TALKS WITH VIETNAM ON THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF THOSE WHO MAY CHOOSE TO RETURN TO VIETNAM, AND ON THE REPATRIATION OF THOSE WHO MAY BE DETERMINED NOT TO BE BONA FIDE REFUGEES.

8.

THE ARRANGEMENTS IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WERE MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HAS DECLINED TO MANAGEABLE LEVEL, THE SMUGGLING NETWORKS THAT HAD BROUGHT LARGE NUMBERS INTO THAILAND HAVE BEEN BROKEN UP, THIRD COUNTRIES HAVE RENEWED THEIR RESETTLEMENT COMMITMENTS, AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS AGREED TO UNDERTAKE MORE VIGOROUSLY THE SEARCH FOR DURABLE LONG-TERM SOLUTION.

9.

TO

THE ARRANGEMENTS, HOWEVER, WILL BE KEPT UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW. IF THE SITUATION SHOWS NO SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT, OR IF IT REVERSES THE CRISIS CONDITIONS PREVAILING AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, APPROPRIATE MEASURES WILL BE INSTITUTED BY THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT.

10.

A REGIONAL SEMINAR ON REFUGEES WILL BE HELD IN THAILAND AT THE END OF MAY.

THIS SEMINAR WILL BE ATTENDED BY ASEAN REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS THOSE FROM HONG KONG, THE UNHCR, AND EXPERTS FROM RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. ALSO AT THE END OF MAY A MEETING OF SENIOR ASEAN REFUGEES OFFICIALS WILL BE HELD IN BANGKOK TO DRAW UP PROPOSALS FOR LONG-TERM STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES WHICH WILL BE

SUBMITTED TO THE ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN JULY. THE ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO TAKE UP THE REFUGEE ISSUE WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS FROM THE DIALOGUE COUNTRIES (AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE EC, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND AND THE UNITED STATES) IN JULY. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON REFUGEES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BEING CONVENED WITHIN THE YEAR, SIMILAR TO THE 1979 GENEVA CONFERENCE. IT IS HOPED THAT INNOVATIVE AND

RALISTIC STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES WILL EMERGE FOR DEALING WITH THE INDOCHINESE REFUGEE PROBLEM. IT IS FURTHER HOPED THAT VIABLE SOLUTIONS WILL THUS BE FOUND TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

ENDS

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