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ON I D CONFID
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ILLEGAL MIGRATION SENT TO HIM BY U.N. UNDER SECRETARY GENERAL, REFEEUDDING AHMED ON 30 JUNE, AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS VISIT TO HANOI (REFTEL).
THACH'S REPLY CONFIRMED THAT VIETNAM WAS WILLING TO HAVE BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH COUNTRIES CONCERNED WITH THE ILLEGAL OUTFLOW OF VIETNAMESE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS.
VIETNAM WAS WILLING TO CONSIDER VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION OF SUCH MIGRANTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH UN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FACILITATE THEIR REINTERGRATION INTO VIETNAM.
THACH'S REPLY DID NOT REFER TO EITHER NON-PUNISHMENT OF RETURNEES OR UNHCR MONITORING OF THEIR WELFARE.
IT STRESSED THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF REPATRIATION.
BAZOCHE INDICATED THAT THE NEXT MOVE WOULD BE FOR UNHCR TO PREPARE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UN (HE WAS VAGUE ABOUT WHO WOULD ACTUALLY SIGN) AND VIETNAM COVERING THE ILLEGAL MIGRATION ISSUE AND INCLUDING NON-PUNISHMENT AND MONITORING.
2.
HE LET IT BE UNDERSTOOD THAT AHMED HAD PROPOSED SUCH AN MOU AND THACH HAD NOW ACCEPTED.
IN FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS THE MFA HAS CALLED IN THE CHARGES OF THE BRITISH AND THAI EMBASSIES AND PROPOSED BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS ON THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE FOR MID JULY.
THE MFA PROPOSED THAT BOTH COUNTRIES SEND REPRESENTATIVES
TO HANOI FOR GENERAL NEGOTIATIONS. OFFICIALS SAID THEY COULD NOT SPECIFY PARTICULAR TOPICS AT THIS STAGE.
THE NEWLY ARRIVED MALAYSIAN AMBASSADOR, MOHD YUSOF BIN HASHIM, ALSO RECEIVED A SIMILAR PROPOSAL.
IN AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION ON 5 JULY HE TOLD US THAT FOR MALAYSIA ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WAS THE ISSUE WITH VIETNAM.
IT WAS LIKELY THAT THE MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WOULD VISIT VIETNAM FOR DISCUSSIONS IN EARLY AUGUST.
COMMENT (UNDERLINED )
OUR IMPRESSION OF CAREFUL CO-ORDINATION OF THE VIETNAMESE APPROACH HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN CONVERSATION WITH VIETNAMESE
OFFICIALS. THEY USE IDENTICAL FORMULATIONS ON THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF ANY RETURN AND THE NEED FOR UN ECONOMIC ASSIST ANCE.
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CONFIDENTIA CONFIDENTI CONFIDENTIA
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