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4
countries of first port of call were, however, acknowledged and generally it was thought that their presence was essential for a more detailed discussion of this subject. The UK abstained from any comments under this item to avoid drawing attention to our position on guarantees. There was virtually no discussion of holding centres. The US proposed that countries contribute quotas to a pool run by UNHCR for refugees landed at first ports of call and for whom there were no guarantees but this idea was not taken further, though the Italians and Dutch said it should be explored.
AGENDA ITEM 5 (Heasures to encourage Rescure Operations)
9. The UK made the point that priority should be given to ensuring that ships which rescue refugees should be able to disembark them without further inconvenience or delay at the first scheduled port of call and that such refugees should not receive priority over others waiting in refugee camps; and that if ship owners and masters were confident that this could' be done without disrupting normal commercial activities then many more lives would be saved. This point was taken up by the Australian Ambassador and referred to by others.
PIRACY
10. The US and Italian representative expressed concern over the brutalising of refugees by pirates apparently, mostly, of Thai origin. He reminded the meeting that piracy was still a capital offence in most countries and expressed the hope that war-ships encountering pirates in the South China Sea would deal with then appropriately.
CONCLUSIONS
11.
In his summing-up the Chairman:-
(a) acknowledged the doubts expressed about the need for
end the effects of a more active and co-ordinated rescue operation;
(b) noted the inability or disinclination of most
countries to divert war-ships to search and rescue operations;
(d) hoped that ships in the South China Seas would
associate themselves with the active search and rescue operations of the kind being undertaken by the US Seventh Fleet;
(e)
noted the discussion on financial disincentives and the suggestions made;
(f) noted that most countries offered a guarantee of resettlement and the difficulties for UNHCR when this was not forthcoming (Rudd Bank was not mentioned although it was in the back of UNHCR minds);
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/(g) noted