HKD 243/11
FILE NOTE
UNCLASSIFIED
N2716
"Mr. Footfay Mr. Foot May Miss Slates
see para 4(a).
W 24/6
S2
+ PA
24318
FROM:
DATE:
PK C Thomas,
17 June 1988
SEAD
IRAC Conference on First Asylum for Refugees from Cambodia, Laos and
Vietnam, Washington, 6-8 June 1988
Summary
1.
A realistic assessment of the problems and possible solutions.
No serious opposition to the principle of screening. Much stress on
the importance of maintaining the principle of first asylum. Useful
contributions from Rita Fan and Hui Yin Fat, members of Hong Kong
Legislative Council.
Detail
2.
I attended this conference. IRAC (Indochina Resource Action
Center) organised it well. They lined un an impressive array of
speakers inlcuding Jonathan Moore (who gave an important account of
US policy towards screening already reported), Congressman Solarz
and Senator Hatfield (both Democrats who gave political speeches
with an eye to the Indochinese vote in the presidential elections),
and messages from Kitty Dukakis, Liv Ullman and Elie Wiesel.
3.
The Conference was dominated by former Indochinese refugees
now living in America and by oro-refugee NGOs and lobbyists. There
was therefore a lot of talk about the need to increase the rate of
resettlement and give as wide as possible a definition to "refugee"
But the oral conclusions, which were accepted without serious
demur, were nevertheless remarkably realistic. They will in due
course be printed. But as I noted them down, the main conclusions
were, in summary:-
a)
Screening
There was consensus that screening in countries of first
asvlum, though imperfect, was a historic necessity. It was
necessary to bring about control in the face of reductions in
resettlement. Screening should be based on protecting those
genuinely in fear of persecution.
The international community had
RTAACC