GR 469
UNCLASSIFIED
DESKBY 151200Z
FM BANGKOK 150915Z MAY
TO
MEDIATE FCO
TEL NO 306 OF 15 MAY 79
(675
TOP COPY
HKK 2431
RECEIVED RI RAAGAN 10.
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, JAKARTA, PARIS? 1 MAY 1979. INFO KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, MANILA, HANOI VIENTIANE
INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
~
Jews.
1. UN SECRETARY- GENERAL KURT WALDHEIM PALD AN OFFICIAL SIT TO THAILAND ON 13/14 MAY ON THE LAST LEG OF ASIAN TOUR. HIS VISIT WAS TAKEN UP ALMOST ENTIRELY WITH DISCUSSIONS ON REFUGEE PROBLEM.
2. ON 13 MAY, MR WALDHEIM VISITED BOTH THE UNHCR SUPPORTED REFUGEE CAMP AT ARANYAPRATHET (POP ABOUT 7303) AND THE NEARBY CAMP AT WAT KOH (POP ABOUT 4200) WHICH HOUSES KAMPUCHEANS WHO HAVE FLED TO THAILAND SINCE JANUARY, AT AN OFFICIAL BANQUET THE
SAME EVENING PRIME MINISTER KRIANGSAK APPEALED TO ALL DEVELOPED COUNTRIET TO INCREASE THEIR EFFORTS TO HELP RELIEVE THAILAND OF ITS HEAVY REFUGEE BURDEN. KRIANCSAK ALSO NOTED THAT THE PRESENT
LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE FROM UNHCE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO COPE WITH
EVER-INCREASING INFLOW OF REFUGEES. WITH REGARD TO THE GENERAL SITUATION ÎN ÎNDO-CHINA, KRĪANGSAK STRESSED AGAIN THE SERIOUS PZHREAT TO THAILAND'S SECURITY FOLLOWING RECENT CONFLICTS. HE REAFFIRMED THAILAND'S COMMITMENT TO MEETING ITS OBLIGATIONS
UNDER THE UN CHARTER AND EMPHASISED HIS GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN A POLICY OF STRICT NEUTRALITY.
3. DURING SUBSEQUENT TALKS ON 14 MAY, WALDHEIM PROMISED TO ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE THIRD COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT MORE REFUGEES FOR RESETTLE- MENT. HE ALSO OFFERED TO APPOINT AN OFFICIAL FROM HIS ECONOMIC STAFF TO ACT AS COORDINATOR AND POINT OF LIAISON BETWEEN HIMSELF AND KRIANGSAK ON URGENT REFUGEE PROBLEMS. KRIANGSAK HAD EARLIER COMPLAINED OF DELAYS IN THE SUPPLY OF UN ASSISTANCE PLUS THE INABILITY OF THE UN TO ACT QUICKLY IN AN EMERGENCY. ALTHOUGH KRIANGSAK EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION OF UN AID, HE EMPHASISED THAT THE ORGANISATION DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THAILAND IN RESPECT OF ITS REFUGEE POLICIES.
4. WALDHEIM THANKED THE THAI GOVERNMENT FOR ITS HUMANE REFUGEE POLICIES PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THAILAND FACES DIFFICULT ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. AT THE SAME TIME, HE APPEALED TO THE THAI GOVERNMENT TO REVERSE THEIR PRESENT POLICIES AND TO
GRANT ASYLUM TO ALL KAMPUCHEAN REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THAILAND.
KRIANGSAK AND HIS COLLEAGUES WERE NOT APPARENTLY RECEPTIVE TO
/MR WALDHEIM'S