TNAG-1802-FCO40-2562-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 12

ANNEX A

As Delivered

ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME (ODP) CONSULTATIONS WITH THE

VIETNAMESE DELEGATION: GENEVA: 15 DECEMBER 1988: 3.30 PM

SPEAKING NOTE

Opening Remarks/General

Mr Chairman, Minister,

Thanks to UNHCR for arranging the meeting, which gives us a

further opportunity to discuss the Orderly Departure Programme

with the delegation from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The British authorities welcome these exchanges of views on

the programme, which retains our firm support. I should also

thank UNHCR for making possible our bilateral meeting this

morning with the Vietnamese Delegation, which we found both

encouraging and useful. We share a common perception of the

problem and the possible solutions of it.

Detail

We

The British ODP is purely a family reunion exercise.

welcome recent improvements and changes. We have taken 348

Vietnamese under the ODP during 1988 (up to 31 October) and we

have stressed the importance of ODP as the main channel for

departures from Vietnam. The large-scale clandestine outflow

from Vietnam emphasises the need to put maximum effort into

facilitating the Orderly Departure Programme and processing