TNAG-2401-FCO40-3488-Vietnamese-migrants-Orderly-Repatriation-Programme-(ORP)-1992 — Page 179

20

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HANOI

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 107

OF 190102Z FEB

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

No

CONFIDENTIAL

HKA 020/14

५

innp

AND TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, UKREP BRUSSELS

126761

MDHIAN 3554

з

1962

YOUR TELNO 77: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: EARLY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME

1. MIFT CONTAINS THE TEXT JUST RECEIVED OF THE REPLY FROM NGUYEN DY NIEN, DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO LORD CAITHNESS' LETTER. THE LETTER CLEARLY REFLECTS THE GENUINE SATISFACTION FELT BY THE VIETNAMESE OVER LORD CAITHNESS'S VISIT HERE AND THE TEXT OF HIS LETTER. AS YOU WILL SEE THE TEXT REAFFIRMS THE VIETNAMESE COMMITMENT ON ACCEPTING BACK NON-REFUGEES EITHER UNDER THE VOLUNTARY OR ORDERLY RETURN PROGRAMMES ''WITH APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCE'' THERE IS HOWEVER NO COMMITMENT TO EARLY SIGNATURE OF THE ORP II MODALITIES.

2. THE VIETNAMESE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR TO ME THAT ALTHOUGH GRATEFUL FOR WHAT WE HAVE NOW OFFERED AND FOR LORD CAITHNESS' UNDERTAKING TO WORK FOR IMPROVED DELIVERY HERE OF ASSISTANCE FROM UNHCR AND THE EC PROGRAMME, THEY WILL BE LOOKING FOR FIRM COMMITMENTS AND PROMPT DELIVERY. IN SHORT THE VIETNAMESE SEE THEMSELVES AS NOW REAFFIRMING THEIR FIRM COMMITMENT TO THE RETURN OF NON-REFUGEES VOLUNTARILY OR UNDER ORP ARRANGEMENTS, BUT REQUIRE FIRM COMMITMENTS ON MULTILATERAL AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BEFORE THEY WILL SIGN UP ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ORP II.

3. ON RECEIPT OF THE LETTER I SPOKE IMMEDIATELY TO BIN WHO CONFIRMED THEIR POSITION. I STRESSED THE VERY REAL PROBLEM THAT COULD CONFRONT US BOTH IN THE ABSENCE OF SIGNATURE OF ORP II WITH THE COMING DEPARTURE SEASON AND THE DANGER OF A FALL-OFF IN THE NUMBERS COMING FORWARD FOR VOLUNTARY RETURN. I ALSO REMINDED HIM OF THE TIMING OF LORD CAITHNESS'S FORTHCOMING VISIT TO HONG KONG (MY TELNO 103).

4. AS SEEN FROM HERE I SEE NO ALTERNATIVE TO OUR KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE BUT IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO MOVE AT PRESENT WITHOUT SOME FRIM QUANTIFIABLE COMMITMENT ON ASSISTANCE. THEY STILL HAVE IN MIND A LINKAGE BETWEEN SAVINGS IN HONG KONG THROUGH A REDUCING VIETNAMESE MIGRANT POPULATION AND AT LEAST A PARTIAL TRANSFER OF FUNDS FOR ASSISTANCE WITH

1

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL