UNCLASSIFIED
its efforts to help solve the problem of Indo-Chinese refugees through:
(a)
(b)
(c)
financial support for international and voluntary organisations (total aid in the period under review: £12.5 milllion); help with the resettlement of refugees (over 20,000, with a further 14,500 displaced Indo-Chinese absorbed into Hong Kong); and
maintaining pressure in search of an overall solution to the Indo-China problem, caused by Vietnam's illegal occupation of Cambodia and oppressive domestic policies, and exacerbated by the desire of many Vietnamese and Lao to escape the harsh economic conditions in their countries.
It is recognised that (b) and (c) are sometimes in conflict in that helping with resettlement can relieve the pressure on Vietnam. However humanitarian and political considerations compelled action.
5.
Thailand has borne the brunt of the flood of refugees, with over 600,000 arrivals since 1975. Since 1978, Thailand has also been the "front line state" in ASEAN's stand against Vietnamese expansionist policies in Indo-China. In 1984/85, the burden placed on Thailand was increased by the arrival of some 230,000 displaced Cambodians following the Vietnamese campaign against resistance bases near the Thai/Cambodian border. These are not normally classified as
refugees and, hence, are not eligible for resettlement in third countries. Thailand currently has around 125,000 refugees and some 240,000 displaced persons on its territory. The United Nations Border Relief Organisation was set up in 1983 to assist Cambodians on the border. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross and voluntary organisations run assistance, resettlement and voluntary repatriation programmes for Indo-Chinese refugees.
OBJECTIVES OF UK POLICY
Ultimate Objective
6. The ultimate objective of UK policy is:
SEAAAU
UNCLASSIFIED