TNAG-1800-FCO40-2560-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-principle-of-first-asylum-1988 — Page 131

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NOUM BELINE WOUL

an considering all these measures, the deterrent effect of restricted resettlement has to be balanced against protecting the rights of genuine refugees and the prospect of creating a buildup of longstaying refugee populations. Since their objective is to restore first asylum, deterrent actions that deny it,

uch as pushbacks, interdiction and redirection. Cannot he condoned of accepted.

Although we recognize that third country resettlement is not the panacea that it may have once seemed to be and can only be pursued under various constraints, it is still an essential component of any strategy, and the U.S. will continue to admit high levels of Indochinese and continue to urge other nations to do so. In this fiscal year we expect to admit 28,ŪVU refugees from East Asia first asylum, even though the Thai have been reluctant to give us access for processing some categories of new arrivals because of their concern about a magnet effect. In FY 1986 over 19,000 refugees left Thailand for resettlement in the United States, and in in FY 1987 over 20,000, and we hope that over 23,000 will leave Thailand for the United States this year. w

A comprehensive approach for managing Southeast Asia's ongoing refugee problem must also include an expanded Orderly Departure Program. This will require intensified efforts by the international community including the ASEAN countries to move Vietnam to increase the rate of departures under the existing orderly departure program and

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, including former reeducation camp inmates. The U.S. will continue actively to pursue these objectives. The unilateral suspension of processing new applications for the ODP coupled with a reduced number of departures caused fear and anxiety to thousands of Vietnamese who had been waiting for years to obtain permission to leave. This lamentable situation combined with continued economic deprivation and political persecution contributed to the desperate upsurge in persons attempting to leave Vietnam clandestinely. Let me report we are pleased that at the UNHCR consultative meetings in Geneva last week, Vietnam committed itself to allow more of its citizens to leave Vietnam under the ODP for the United States and other resettlement Countries.

Next, I submit that we can no longer shy from considering

animemaniam as an important element of a new approach. For this to work, Vietnam must assume the responsi- bility to receive its citizens who wish to return. Their