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1.
161327
MDLOAN 7231
SIHANOUK'S EFFORTS TO SEEK A POLITICAL SOLUTION.
POLI
IN THIS CONNECTION ALSO, THE EC MINISTERS NOTED WITH APPRECIATION THE CONTINUING EFFORTS OF ASEAN TO CONTRIBUTE TO FINDING A COMPREHENSIVE POLITICAL SETTLEMENT TO THE KAMPUCHEAN PROBLEM, INCLUDING THE CONVENING IN JAKARTA OF AN INFORMAL MEETING OF THE PARTIES DIRECTLY INVOLVED, ABOVE ALL VIETNAM.
FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION VIETNAM'S PARTICIPATION IS
INDISPENSABLE.
8. INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS SHARED THE VIEW THAT THE PLIGHT OF THOSE WHO HAVE FLED FROM INDO-CHINA, INCLUDING THOSE STILL IN REFUGEE TRANSIT CAMPS IN ASEAN COUNTRIES AND THOSE ALONG THE THAI/KAMPUCHEAN BORDER, REMAINED THE CAUSE OF SERIOUS CONCERN. THESE REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS HAVE AN INALIENABLE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. THE COMMUNITY IS READY TO ASSIST IN THEIR RETURN. AS LONG AS THE FLOW OF REFUGEES CONTINUES, HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS CO-ORDINATED BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM, THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EASE THE SUFFERING OF THE REFUGEES AND EXPEDITE THEIR RESETTLEMENT. THE MINISTERS WERE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE FLOW OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, A PROBLEM WHICH ORIGINATED WITH VIETNAM. THEY WERE OF THE VIEW THAT VIETNAM SHOULD, IN CONFORMITY WITH HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND IN THE INTEREST OF REGIONAL PEACE, STABILITY AND HARMONY, COOPERATE WITH THE UNHCR, THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM AND THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO FIND A SOLUTION. VIETNAM SHOULD ALSO ACCEPT THE RETURN OF THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET THE AGREED CRITERIA FOR REFUGEE STATUS, SUBJECT TO SATISFACTORY GUARANTEES AS TO THEIR TREATMENT ON RETURN.
ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS STRESSED THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN
THEIR COORDINATED RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION.
9 AFGHANISTAN
•
MINISTERS WELCOMED THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE INDIRECT GENEVA TALKS ON AFGHANISTAN ON 14 APRIL 1988.
THEY EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE UNTIRING EFFORTS OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND HIS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, MR DIEGO CORDOVEZ, TO ACHIEVE A SOLUTION OF THE
CRISIS.
THE MINISTERS HOLD THE VIEW THAT, TO PERMIT THE RESTORATION OF GENUINE PEACE, THE WITHDRAWAL OF SOVIET TROOPS AND THE UNIMPEDED RETURN OF REFUGEES MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN OVERALL POLITICAL SETTLEMENT OF THE CRISIS FULLY INVOLVING THE AFGHAN PEOPLE. IN THIS CONNECTION, THEY CONSIDER PARTICIPATION OF THE RESISTANCE IN
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