Very
→
CONFIDENTIAL
mas
86
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1435
OF 18020OZ APRIL 88
INFO PRIORITY JAKARTA
HUD 243/8
104110
MDLIAN 0450
TOP COPY DIST ?
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, BANGKOK INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, MANILA, UKMIS GENEVA INFO ROUTINE HANOI
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: CONTACTS WITH ASEAN: INDONESIA
SUMMARY
1. INDONESIAN OFFICIALS NOT UNDULY CONCERNED ABOUT BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE WHICH THEY REGARD AS VIRTUALLY SOLVED IN INDONESIA. NEVERTHELESS THEY SEE VALUE IN REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS ON THE ISSUE AND SOME SUGGEST THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND ASEAN SHOULD BE PREPARED TO QUOTE BARGAIN UNQUOTE WITH VIETNAM FOR MORE ORDERLY DEPARTURES AND CONTROL ON DISORDERLY DEPARTURES IN RETURN FOR AID.
DETAIL
2. FRENCH CALLED ON COL. SAID, HEAD OF P.P.P.V. AND REPRESENTATIVES OF INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN JAKARTA ON 14 APRIL. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MOON, SECOND SECRETARY, JAKARTA.
3. THE INFORMAL ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION WAS ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM INDONESIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY, IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AS WELL AS UNHCR AND INDONESIAN RED CROSS. HOWEVER COL. SAID DID MOST OF THE TALKING ON THE INDONESIAN SIDE.
4. COL. SAID OUTLINED AT SOME LENGTH THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACCOMMODATING AND CARING FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN INDONESIA ON GALANG ISLAND. HE DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS VIRTUALLY SOLVED WITH ONLY 1780 REFUGEES LEFT AT GALANG AWAITING RESETTLEMENT. HE SAID INDONESIA HAD NOT (NOT) EXPERIENCED ANY KNOCK-ON EFFECT FROM THAILAND'S CHANGE OF POLICY TOWARDS VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, NOR DID HE EXPECT ANY BECAUSE INDONESIA WAS GEOGRAPHICALLY FAR FROM THE THAI COAST AND VIETNAM AND THE VIETNAMESE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY MORE BOATS LARGE AND PWERFUL ENOUGH TO REACH INDONESIAN WATERS. (HE MADE NO (NO) MENTION OF INDONESIA'S OWN OCCASIONAL
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