2
-
Ministerial Meeting with Dialogue Countries" held in June
1982, a new practical scheme ( * ).
This proposal was
widely welcomed and studies are now under way among the UNHCR and other parties concerned for its early
realization.
( * )
(1)
(2)
(3)
The outline of the proposal is as follows.
Since the bulk of Cambodian refugees are from western Cambodia, just across the border, Voluntary Returnee Reception Centers under the management of related international agencies should be set up at appropriate points in western Cambodia. Voluntary repatriation should be carried out mainly by air through these centers. If, through talks among parties concerned, it becomes possible for all those who wish to return safely to their homeland, Japan will extend as much cooperation as possible for the materialization of the scheme.
3.
Financial Cooperation
(1) Since the year of 1979 when the world witnessed an explosive outflow of Indochinese refugees, Japan has been extending a sizable financial assistance for the relief of this refugee group, in the form either of contribution to such international organizations as UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF and ICRC, or of bilateral cooperation to Thailand. Total amount of financial assistance thus extended in consecutive years of 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1982 was roughly 90 million, 106 million, 81 million and 670
As for the current fiscal million US dollars respectively.
year (April/March) of 1983, it has reached so far about
44 million US dollars.
These financial assistance ranks
the