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an ad hoc group appointed by ACVA, whose report was to hand and who advocated great caution in regard to adoption as a solution as compared to foster-care or placement in other suitable surroundings. UNHCR had advised its field offices accordingly, sending them both the ACVA document and the European Convention on the Adoption of Children, as well as the recent draft Declaration made during the spring meeting of the ECOSOC Commission for Social Development.
It was important that, if a child was alleged to be an orphan, this should be estab- lished beyond doubt. If the child were not an orphan, the existence of his/ her parents' consent to adoption should be clearly established, and such consent should be given in full cognizance of the circumstances and implica- tions. In all circumstances, it should be established that adoption was in the best interests of the child concerned. Sponsoring agencies should be those legally authorized to arrange adoptions.
39.
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Mr. Piel-Christensen referred to a recommendation of ICVA at its meeting on 18/19 July 1979 that no adoption proceedings should be entered into until such time as the above provisos had been complied with. Mr. Rosenblatt referred to the need to find suitable placement for adolescents in camps having no family with whom to resettle. Mr. Anthony J. Koslowski, representing ICVA, said that the major agencies, such as the International Union for Child Welfare (IUCW) and the International Social Service (ISS), who had long experience in problems of children and unaccompanied minors, had been specifically charged by the Executive Committee of ICVA to study problems of Indo-Chinese unaccompanied minors in depth and make recommendations for their welfare.
40. On the speeding-up of the resettlement programme, countries did not anticipate major difficulties of their own. Mr. S.K. Christensen, representing ICEM, stated that his organization was already finding transportation for some 15,000 persons monthly and was preparing at present for 20,000 departures per month. As long as adequate notice of movements was given, he did not anticipate difficulties in finding air space for larger numbers.
41. On the provision of sponsorships in the United States, Mr. Lowman stated that there were at present more sponsorships available than numbers under the increased refugee programme. In this connexion, Ms Ingrid Walter, representing the US voluntary agencies, made a plea for care in avoiding duplication; with the use of the "blue cards" introduced two years ago in Malaysia, it no longer. happened that a case for which sponsors had been found departed to another country meanwhile. Such a system was essential if potential sponsors were not to become disappointed and possibly disillusioned. The UNHCR Representative in Bangkok undertook to introduce such a control system in Thailand if this proved indicated.
42. Mr. Cuénod informed the meeting that UNHCR was recruiting an electronic data processing expert experienced in population census work, who would be travelling throughout South East Asia to unify the registration system for all Indo-Chinese refugees and to computerize biodata on each case.
CONTINUING CO-ORDINATION OF ARRANGEMENTS
43. It was agreed that the technical meeting served a most useful purpose, and that a similar meeting should be organized in the fairly near future, possibly in connexion with the October meeting of the UNHCR Executive Committee. In the meantime, frequent co-ordination was going on between Governments or their representations' in various countries and UNHCR. In Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, for example, regular briefing meetings were held between the UNHCR Regional, Office and representatives of a range of embassies.