UNCLASSIFIED
FM BANGKOK
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 449
PA
UNCLASSIFIED
HKD 243/5
030735
MDLIAN 0821
RECEIVA
-7 JUL 1988
PA
OF 061045Z JULY 88
INFO PRIORITY MANIL, JAKARTA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, SINGAPORE INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR
INFO ROUTINE HANOI, HONG KONG, WASHINGTON, CANBERRA
OUR TELNO 448: 21ST ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING: REFUGEES.
SUMMARY.
1. AS EXPECTED, CALLS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS NEW STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH REFUGEE PROBLEM. VIETNAM URGED TO ACCEPT REPATRIATION, ENHANCED ODP. REFERENCE TO LAO AND CAMBODIAN REFUGEES/DISPLACED PERSONS.
DETAIL.
2.
THE ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS REFERRED TO THE PROBLEM OF INDOCHINESE REFUGEES IN THEIR FINAL COMMINIQUE, HAVING EARLIER ISSUED A JOINT STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT. THEY CALLED FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN EARLY 1989 AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNSG TO CONSIDER MORE INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO DEAL WITH THE CONTINUING INDOCHINESE REFUGEE PROBLEM. THE FOREIGN MINISTERS ALSO CALLED UPON
VIETNAM TO TAKE EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO DISCOURAGE THE OUTFLOW OF REFUGEES: ACCEPT REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: AND EXPAND THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME.
3. THE FOREIGN MINISTERS ALSO CALLED UPON THE LAO GOVERNMENT TO COOPERATE WITH UNHCR OVER VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, AND TO ACCEPT BACK THOSE LOATIANS WHO WERE CLASSED INELIGIBLE FOR
REFUGEE STATUS.
4.
ON CAMBODIAN DISPLACED PERSONS, THE FOREIGN MINISTERS REITERATED THAT A JUST AND COMPREHENSIVE POLITICAL STATEMENT TO THE CAMBODIAN PROBLEM WAS ESSENTIAL TO ENABLE DISPLACED
CAMBODIANS TO RETURN HOME.
5. COPIES OF RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FOLLOW BY BAG.
ΤΟΝΚΙΝ
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