Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Jan. 22 (VNA) -- Viet Nam, Cambodia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have endorsed the importance of the provision of proper counselling to the highlanders (Montagnards) as an incentive for their safe return to Viet Nam.

This agreement was reached at a tripartite meeting held in Phnom Penh on Monday, Jan. 21, on Vietnamese "Montagnards" who had illegally fled into Cambodia's northeastern provinces.

The meeting, the second of its kind, was attended by Nguyen Phu Binh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam; Long Visalo, Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia; and Jahanshad Assadi, UNHCR Regional Representative for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam.

The participants also made clear the misinformation and misunderstanding surrounding the situation in the Central Highlands that have hindered the settlement of this issue. They also recognized the role of UNHCR's joint participation in resolving the issue of Vietnamese Montagnards in Cambodia.

The three delegations signed the Report with the following conclusion:

The Vietnamese delegation assured the meeting that all returnees would be well received and not subjected to punitive and/or discriminatory treatment upon return for reasons relating to their departure.

UNHCR requested authorization to visit the families/places of origin of the Montagnards. It was understood, however, that UNHCR could not, for practical reasons, visit all homes as part of its pre-return work but would nonetheless conduct home visits in an effective and credible manner.

It was agreed that the pre-return home visits could, in principle, begin immediately, concentrating initially on areas from where the majority of the Montagnards originate. Home visits would commence upon the submission by UNHCR of such requests to the Vietnamese authorities and the latter's approval.

The meeting agreed on the procedures for return.

The three delegations also agreed to convene the next tripartite meeting on May 31, 2002 in order to review the progress achieved with respect to agreements reached at this meeting.--VNA