TNAG-1794-FCO40-2554-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 192

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OBJET: VIETNAM AND THE INDO CHINESE REFUGEE PROBLEM

PART II OF II PARTS

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SUCH MEASURES ARE HOWEVER ONLY A PARTIAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THE ROOT CAUSE AND THE KEY TO A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION ARE TO BE FOUND IN VIETNAM, AS HAS BEEN CLEARLY RECOGNISED BY EC AND ASEAN MINISTERS. THE CONTINUING FLOW OF ILLEGAL DEPARTURES

IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE MISGUIDED ECONOMIC POLICIES ADOPTED BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES, WHO PRESIDE OVER AN ECONOMY WEAKENED AND DISTORTED BY DECADES OF WAR. THE VIETNAM AUTHORITIES MUST END THEIR COSTLY AND DAMAGING ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF CAMBODIA AND REFORM VIETNAM'S AILING ECONOMY. THEY MUST

ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN CITIZENS BY STOPPING ILLEGAL

DEPTARTURES AND TAKING BACK NON REFUGEES. THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MADE THESE POINTS TO THE VIETNAMESE FOREIGN MINISTER IN NEW YORK ON 7 JUNE. CO THACH SHOWED SOME WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS

THESE MATTERS SERIOUSLY WITH UNHCR, POSSIBLY AS PART OF A PACKAGE INCLUDING ECONOMIC AID AND REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE WHO RETURN.

8. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD NOW

INTENSIFY THEIR EFFORTS TO PRESS VIETNAM TO NEGOTIATE IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY ON THESE MATTERS. THE TWELVE HAVE AN IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY IN THIS, BOTH IN MEMBER STATES' INDIVIDUAL CONTACTS WITH THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES BUT ALSO COLLECTIVELY.

9. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION, SUCH AS THE VIETNAMESE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ITS INTENTION TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM CAMBODIA, HAVE CREATED A CLIMATE WHICH IS RELATIVELY MORE CONDUCIVE TO ACHIEVING SOLUTIONS: THE TWELVE SHOULD NOT HESITATE IT PLAY ITS

FULL PART IN THE SEARCH FOR APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS. THE UNITED

KINGDOM THEREFORE PROPOSES:

(A) THAT COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS IN HANOI MAKE A DEMARCHE ON BEHALF

OF THE TWELVE:

(B) THAT IN FORMULATING THEIR RESPONSES TO VIETNAMESE REQUESTS

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