'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."