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A subsequent feasibility study had now been completed on Galang Island immediately south of Rempang. It was 63 square kilometres, had good water at 2 to 3 metres, plenty of vegetation and no swamps, had only 200 permanent inhabitants and had some basic infra-structure plus a landing-stage. Mochtar gave us to understand that the Indonesian government preferred Galang as the Processing Centre.
A
5. A separate point which Mochtar discussed with Hartling was that this Processing Centre would be a purely ASEAN affair. I interrupted Mochtar at that point and asked him to confirm that the Processing Centre would not be available for Indo-China refugees from Hong Kong. Mochtar was surprisingly emphatic and said that it would not be; the Processing Centre on the Indonesian island would only be available for refugees from ASEAN countries.
6.
Mochtar had discussed with Hartling the question of payment for the additional infra-structure needed. He was told that UNHCR would pay for barracks, a hospital, power, essential roads and possibly for additional landing-stage facilities. I got the impression that there were some grey areas left. It was to meet these additional infra-structural costs that UNHCR would now seek special contributions from other interested countries.
7.
For that purpose, UNHCR had suggested that a Conference should be convened in Jakarta. Hartling asked Mochtar to take responsibility for the Conference; if UNHCR did so, they would have to ask far too wide a range of participants. This Conference will be held at a date to be agreed between UNHCR and the Indonesians. Mochtar tentatively specified 15 May. The participants would be:
UNHCR
ASEAN Governments
Vietnamese Government
Governments of Potential re-settlement countries, viz:
USA Japan Canada Australia
All EEC
All Scandinavia
Switzerland Brazil
Representation at this Conference would be at
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MERT NEMMA
/Ambassadorial