DELAYING tactics by Vietnam yesterday stymied progress in reaching agreement on large-scale repatriation of the 22,300 Vietnamese boat people languishing in Hong Kong detention centres.
After two solid sessions of talks, frustrated delegates emerged from the meeting room with little positive information on how close they were to drafting a final statement defining the plan for the final months of the agreement governing the return and resettlement of boat people in the region.
It is understood that the underlying difficulty facing the meeting was that Vietnam, Britain, the United States and Malaysia were deadlocked over the wording of key paragraphs in the final statement relating to upgrading repatriation.
Vietnam is believed to have agreed to simplify its vetting procedures for potential returnees but how far it has moved was not clear.
Chairman of the meeting, Werner Blatter of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said he hoped agreement could be reached in the third session, which was due to be held late last night.
The delegates broke from their talks at sunset to allow those from Muslim countries to break fast during what is the last week of Ramadan.