M. Tomas
Mr Gon
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how meld
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FM CANBERRA
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER FILE REF N FR
OF 03010OZ NOVEMBER 88
怂
Криди
PLEASE NOTE
7 cc PL
208) + back /
103767
TTAN 4614
SEAD COPY TO SPD
T HKD
INFO TELELETTER HONG KONG, BANGKOPIES HAVE BEEN PASSED TO
FROM W C PATEY, CANBERRA FOLLOWING FOR SEAD FCO, /
COPIED TO DPA HONG KONG, SPD FCO, HKD FCO, CHANCERIES BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA
INDO-CHINA: REFUGEES
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пешла
1. ''THE AUSTRALIAN OF 2 NOVEMBER REPORTS THAT THE THAIS HAVE SUGGESTED INFORMALLY TO THE AUSTRALIANS THAT THEY MIGHT HOST AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AIMED AT RESOLVING THE PROBLEM OF REFUGEES IN INDO-CHINA. THE AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INDICATION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH AUSTRALIA IS ACCEPTED AS A RELEVANT PLAYER IN THE
REGION.
2
·
I SPOKE TO GRAHAM HAWKER RESPONSIBLE FOR INDO-CHINA REFUGEES IN DFAT WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE THAIS HAD MADE SUCH A SUGGESTION. THE AUSTRALIANS WERE FLATTERED BY THE IDEA ALTHOUGH THEY GAVE NO COMMITMENT. THE THAIS WERE PLANNING TO RAISE THIS QUESTION AT THE ASEAN WORKING GROUP MEETING ON 27 OCTOBER.
3. DFAT HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HOSTING A CONFERENCE. THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE RECOGNISED THAT IF THEY HOSTED A CONFERENCE THIS COULD INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON THEM FOR A LARGER RESETTLEMENT COMMITMENT THAN MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN THE CASE. THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION'S INITIAL VIEW IS THAT SUCH PRESSURE IS CONTAINABLE.
COMMENT
4. THE AUSTRALIANS SEE CONSIDERABLE ATTRACTION IN BEING THE HOST OF SUCH AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. THIS WOULD DEPEND ON THE DEGREE OF SUPPORT FOR AUSTRALIA AS A VENUE AMONGST FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES AND ON PRACTICAL QUESTIONS SUCH AS SHARING OF COSTS. THE KUDOS THAT AUSTRALIA WOULD EXPECT TO GAIN IN THE REGION WOULD PROBABLY BE SEEN TO OUTWEIGH THE DANGERS OF BEING UNDER PRESSURE
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