7. I SAID THAT PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TOR
KONG XONG WE HAD A KEEN APPRECIATION OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE COUNTRIES
OF FIRST ASYLUM AND ACCEPTED THAT SUCH A CENTRE MIGHT POSSIBLY
IP TO ALLEVIATE THESE. BUT WE HAD ALWAYS SEEN THE ATTITUDE OF THE ASEAN COUNTRIES AS THE CENTRAL FACTOR AND MUCH WOULD THEREFORE DEPEND ON THE TERMS OF ANY PROPOSAL WHICH MIGHT BE FORTHCOMING
FROM THEN. IF THEY ADVOCATED THE SETTING UP OF AN ISLAND CENTRE AND WERE READY TO PROVIDE A ISLAND FOR THE PURPOSE, THE SCHENE WOULD HAVE TO BE GIVEN SERIOUS CONSIDERATION DESPITE THE
VARIOUS CONSEQUENCES WHICH WE FORESAW. FOR THE MEANTIME WE SAW NO OBJECTION TO A PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION OF THE HATTER BY THE STAFF
OF THE UNHCR SINCE IN THIS THEY WOULD SIMPLY BE FOLLOWING UP ONE
OF THE PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD AT THE DECEMBER CONSULTATIONS.
a.JAY (CANADA) SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAD DEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE
IDEA FROM THE OUTSET AS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO DEAL
WITH THE PROBLEM. THEY HAD ALREADY MADE APPROACHES IN CAPITALS BUT H
HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE RESULT, BUT HE WAS SURE THAT HIS GOVERNMENT
WOULD CONTINUE TO THINK THAT THE IDEA WAS WORTH EXPLORING,
9. VANDEN HEUVEL (US) REPEATED HIS VIEW THAT UNHCR SHOULD GET
AHEAD WITH PLANNING NOW IN ORDER TO AVOID OUR BEING OVERTAKEN BY
EVENTS. HE SUGGESTED THAT IF THE PLANNING WERE LIKELY TO IMPOSE AN
UNACCEPTABLE STRAIN ON THE STAFF OF THE UNHCR, CONSIDERATION MIGHT DE GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF LENDING HIM TECHNICAL EXPERTS FROM
THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES.
10. HARTLING THEN ASKED IF WE WOULD FIND IT HELPFUL IF HIS STAFF
WERE IN THE COURSE OF THIS WEEK TO PREPARE A SHORT PAPER SETTING
OUT THE VARIOUS PROBLEMS WHICH THEY FORESAW IF THE SCHEME WERE TO
GO AHEAD. THIS MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO OUR GOVERNMENTS IN REACHING THE
VARIOUS DECISIONS THAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED OF THEM. WE ALL WELCOMED
THIS.
FCO PASS SAVING PARIS SONN CANBERRA OTTAWA ·
MURRAY