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Vietnam Not to Punish Returning Minority People: Spokeswoman
Vietnam will not discriminate against and punish those minority people who repatriate in Vietnam after having fled to Cambodia, a spokeswoman reaffirmed in Hanoi on July 27.
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh made the statement here on Friday in reply to a question about the outcome of a two- day meeting among Vietnam, Cambodia and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) in Hanoi on repatriating minority people who had fled Vietnam and penetrated into Cambodia.
"The meeting took place in an atmosphere of frankness, mutual understanding, and cooperation," Thanh said, adding that the three parties had discussed technical issues relating to procedures to repatriate these people.
"Basically," Thanh noted, "the three parties have reached agreement on procedural process and financial support for the returnees, although they need continued discussions on a number of technical points."
She said that after meetings, the three parties have agreed upon four basic points:
-- Those who illegally crossed the border are not considered as refugees;
-- Refugee camps will not be set up on the Cambodian territories;
-- These people will not be settled down in a third country; and
-- Concerned parties should cooperate to return these people to Vietnam as soon as possible.
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