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our policies in order to have coherence and real impact on a situation that develops from month to month. To this end, I would hope that this Committee provides a further opportunity for a full exchange of views that will result
in strategies to help in a truly humanitarian and non-political way. As I said to Representatives of a number of Governments in Kuala Lumpur recently, I believe the situation in South-East Asia requires a continuing process of consultation between UNHCR and all interested Governments. I intend to take the initiative to call consultative meetings in Geneva, or elsewhere, as and when the need arises, on this and other problems.
When viewing South-East Asia and planning for the future, I am convinced that we need to take an over-all view of the region as a whole, not only of its individual parts. If we recognize the inter-relationships in the situation, it will follow that we must help refugees and displaced persons wherever they are - in all parts of the region and not merely selectively. Otherwise, there will be additional reason for problems to spill over frontiers. It appears to me that admissions to third countries for resettlement must be so devised and announced 'as to enable a balanced movement from each country in the area, and also permit the switching of numbers according to need. The announcement of the numbers to be admitted by each country over a longer term would clearly help in over-all planning and the pooling of opportunities. It further appears to me that, tu the extent possible, the criteria for selection should be liberalized and we should provide equal opportunity for both "boat" and "land" cases. I should like to urge greater speed in processing and onward movement. I have seen, and cannot forget, the despair of refugees waiting, insecurely, for their departure. I feel a compulsion to stress this, as it is evident that the pace of resettlement has an influence on the implementation of asylum policy in the region and on the development of local possibilities for becoming self-sufficient. I am happy, in this connection, to state that during my discussions in Thailand, it was agreed to elaborate a pilot project for a self-sufficiency programme to benefit both the displaced persons and the Thai rural people. I view this as an important development.
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Unfortunately, the need for resettlement in third countries is not limited to South-East Asia. It continues to be an urgent need for refugees, notably in Argentina and other Latin American countries.
The legal situation of many of