(b) Indo-China
All delegations referred to the situation in Indo-China
particularly that of the "boat refugees",
Several delegations
took up the proposal that Mr Vance had made to the General
Assembly that the High Commissioner call a conference of interested
governments. Australia circulated a text of a draft decision (it
is understood on strict instructions from their Foreign Minister,
Mr Peacock), which amongst other things called for formal
consultations between governments before the end of 1978. These
were eventually amalgamated into a decision noting the High
Commissioner's intention to call "substantive and well organised
consultations" in Geneva before the end of 1978. The US delegation
also floated a text on the boat refugees which was largely
incorporated in the final report. It included an interesting
recommendation that the High Commissioner inform IMCO of ships that
disregard distress signals so that IMCO could in turn inform
governments. Malaysia and Thailand supported the High Commissioner's
proposal that countries should announce resettlement quotas.
The FRG announced a contribution of DM 1m for Indo-Chinese
refugees.