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- 7 OCT 1986
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Date @¢ September 1986
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Aeuen Taken
Mell
Dear Robert,
POLICY EVALUATION: AID TO INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES IN THAILAND
1. I refer to your letter of 9 September to David Wyatt enclosing the draft paper on Aid to Indo-Chinese Refugees in Thailand.
2. I have seen Tim Trevan's minute of 15 September to Sue Rogerson and have to agree with his conclusions.
I must say,
I find it quite extraordinary that serious thought should have been given to publishing a paper of this sort. I am not aware that we have ever publicly adduced motives other than humanitarian ones for providing assistance to refugees in Thailand or elsewhere. To do otherwise would undermine our general posture on refugee questions, and could put in question our commitment to our obligations under the 1951 convention and its 1967 protocol.
3.
That is not to deny that political or commercial interests are taken into account in the formulation of policy in this area or elsewhere. But to reveal them so blatantly would do us nothing but harm in international fora. It is for Bangkok to comment on how the Thais might react. It could also undermine the general Western interest in not politicising UNHCR and other agencies.
4.
On statistics, I am not sure where the figure of £12 million for 12 (e) came from, unless it was simply carried over from 7 (i). I do not have figures for what we contribute through the EC, NGOs, UNICEF, etc, but according to the Liaison Office here, the total given to UNBRO, ICRC and UNHCR since 1982 is $140,361,000, of which the UK has contributed $3,416,000. These figures are taken from the latest status of contributions paper.
Yous ever,
Qui lauke. Heuland-
вами
Jill Barker-Harland
CC:
M T Trevan Esq
UND, FCO
Mr Leeks
HKD, FCO
Mr Whitehead, RD, FCO
Miss D J Walker UKMis Geneva
Mrs Wyeth
DRU, ODA
Mr Escritt
Finance Dept
Mr Seller
EAD, ODA
Mr Wood
HANOI Mr Wyatt
BANGKOK