CONFIDENTIAL
approach to Vietnam through ASEAN countries to get Vietnam to ameliorate its present policies. It might be useful if the Heads of Government at this quadripartite meeting were to explore ways in which pressure might be brought on the Vietnamese Government to moderate its policies and actions which have caused the flight of so many people and have given the rest of the world - particularly South East Asia a further burden of human misery. But the only outside power likely to have any influence with Vietnam at present is the
Soviet Union.
11. The UNHCR has already appealed for more resettlement places to be made available by third countries for the Indo- Chinese refugees. The Heads of Government might consider what more can be done, in support of the UNHCR, to encourage
a greater effort by the international community as a whole.
12.
The long-term solution to the problem çan only be achieved through a combination of measures such as:
(a) sufficient resettlement places being made available
to cope with the numbers leaving Vietnam;
(b) sufficient financial resources being pledged to
the High Commissioner for Refugees;
(c) pressure being brought to bear on Vietnam by the
international community to alter its present policies, particularly in respect of its ethnic Chinese population.
THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
3 January 1978
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