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CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOCUS ON THE POLITICAL PROBLEM AND LAY THE BASIS FOR CONVOKING AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTERED ON THE HUMANITARIAN ASPECTS OF THE REFUGEE PROBLEM.
WE DO NOT, HOWEVER, INTEND TO ENTER THE SC DELIBERA - TIONS WITH PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OF THE FINAL RESULT OR A DRAFT RESOLUTION IN HAND. WE BELIEVE SE CUR IT Y COUNCIL DEBATE HAS ITS OWN MERITS, PARTICULARLY IN DR AMAT IZ ING THE SITUATION AND CALL ING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY, EVEN IF A RESOLUTION
· SHOULD PROVE IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS. IN ADD IT ION, WE SEE VALUE IN SEPARATING THE EFFORT TO FIND PRACTICAL SOLU- TIONS TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM FROM THE ROOT CAUSE" POL IT ICAL PROBLEM CAUSED BY VIETNAMESE POLICIES. WE BELIEVE DEALING WITH THE MORE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THIS ISSUE IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL FIRST IS AN APPRO- PRIATE AND EFFECTIVE MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS OBJECT IVE. POLITICAL ISSUES HAVING ALREADY BEEN DEALT WITH IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL, PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WOULD HAVE LESS NEED TO RAISE THEM THERE.
- IF IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE SOVIETS WOULD VETO OR FIRMLY OPPOSE ANY RESOLUTION, POLITICAL OR OTHERWISE THE SECURITY COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER OTHER WAYS OF EXPRESS-
ING ITS CONCERNS, PER HAPS-THROUGH A SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT. IF NO AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED, COUNCIL COULD REMAIN SEIZED OF THE PROBLEM WITHOUT PASSING A RESOLUTION: THIS WOULD NOT IMPEDE THE CONVOKING OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. IN OTHER WORDS, WE DO NOT BELIEVE A RESOLUTION CRITICAL OF VIETNAM IS A NECESSARY END RESULT OF A COUNCIL MEET ING.
BT #3638
CHRISTOPHER
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CONFIDENTIAL