Boat people showdown

ASEAN governments are preparing a united front to force new member nation Vietnam to take back thousands of Vietnamese boat people languishing in camps in the region.

The plan, which has Hong Kong's support, will be unveiled at a private meeting of international delegates in Bangkok on January 14 and 15. Vietnam and the United States are also expected to detail blueprints for the coming months.

In addition, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will launch an international funding appeal at the meeting for US$30-$35 million (HK$231-$270 million) to carry out the Comprehensive Plan of Action governing repatriation of boat people in the next six months.

The crucial meeting will tackle the thorny issue of how to urgently repatriate the 38,000 Vietnamese refused refugee status. About 20,000 are in Hong Kong and have posed the biggest problem to the programme.

A senior United Nations official confirmed representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations would be 'driving the train' in defining a unified approach to Vietnam.

Although Vietnam has agreed to take back all boat people refused refugee status, Hanoi must first issue clearances for their return under both the voluntary and forced repatriation programmes - an agreement ASEAN members claim Vietnam has been slow to honour.