CONFIDENTIAL
нко 24318
819
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3501
OF 151245Z SEPTEMBER 88
an
076715
MDHIAN 3802
TOP COPY Ɑ DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, TOKYO INFO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR, CANBERRA, OTTAWA
VIETNAM BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG : US VIEWS ON THE BANGKOK
MIPT: MEETING
WE UNDERSTAND THAT ASEAN COUNTRIES MAY DECIDE AFTER THE WORKING GROUP MEETING SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN BANGKOK SEPTEMBER 16-17 TO REQUEST THE UN SYG TO CONVENE A PREPARATORY CONFERENCE FOR A NEW INTERNATIONAL CNFERENCE ON INDOCHINESE REFUGEES IN NOVEMBER, HOSTED BY MALAYSIA, TO BE FOLLOWED BY A FULL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE EARLY IN 1989.
WE ARE CONCERNED THAT SUCH A PREPCON WILL BE UNDERPREPARED AND MAY
RESULT IN ABSENCE OF CONSENSUS.
THE U.S. HAS SOUGHT PERSISTENTLY SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE SEA REFUGEE CRISIS LAST JANUARY TO ENGAGE THE FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES
IN A REGIONAL DIALOGUE INTENDED TO PRESERVE THE OBLIGATION OF GRANT-
ING FIRST ASYLUM WHILE ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF THE FIRST ASYLUM
COUNTRIES.
WE PUT FORWARD TO THE ASEAN SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETING OF EARLY JUNE
IN BANGKOK A COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL FOR DISCUSSION AMONG THE
INTERESTED COUNTRIES.
NOTING OUR RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE CONVENING OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDOCHINESE REFUGEES IN ABSENCE OF THOROUGH PREPARAT- ION, WE PROPOSED, AT THE ASEAN POST-MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IN EARLY JULY, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL WORKING GROUP WHICH WOULD BRING TOGETHER REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERESTED COUNTRIES TO SEEK CONSEN-
SUS ON THE COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT ISSUES OF BURDEN-SHARING AND MAINTENANCE OF GENEROUS FIRST ASYLUM. THIS PROPOSAL WAS ACCEPTED BY
ASEAN.
A SUBSEQUENT, INITIAL MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP WAS CONVENED IN LATE JULY IN BANGKOK, CHAIRED BY UNHCR, BUT LIMITED TO PARTICIPATION BY THE FIRST ASYLUM COUNTRIES. MAJOR RESETTLEMENT/DONOR COUNTRIES
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