AN American delegation will today suggest that the controversial resettlement of thousands of Vietnamese boat people - including some from Hong Kong - should start in three months.
At talks in Hanoi, which the United States spent four months negotiating, officials must convince Vietnam the plan can be implemented without souring relations.
Failure to secure agreement with Hanoi will mean the six-month derailment of the voluntary repatriation programme from Hong Kong will have been in vain.
Senior Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Charles Sykes is leading the delegation and will present three key points of Washington's plan for resettlement under what has been termed the 'Track Two' arrangement.
A US official told the South China Morning Post that hopes for Track Two hinged on the 21/2-day talks, to be followed by a visit to Thailand for discussions with officials in the region.
'Voluntary repatriation has ceased to exist,' the official said.
'We envisage getting Track Two going within a few months if approvals are given in Vietnam.' Three groups of people will be allowed to apply under Track Two screening, according to the US plan.