'Boat people can emigrate'

'Boat people can emigrate'

MANILA (AFP): Vietnam has indicated that it would be willing to allow boat people repatriated from Southeast Asian camps to be resettled in third countries, the Philippine Foreign Department said yesterday.

A department statement quoted Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Hong Phuc as telling the Vietnam News that Hanoi will allow the boat people to emigrate "provided they meet the criteria for departure and have been accepted by the receiving country."

"After their return from Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, those who are qualified for departure again from Vietnam and meet all requirements for resettlement in other countries are to be interviewed in Vietnam," he said, adding that. "Vietnam will fully cooperate with this procedure."