TNAG-0793-FCO40-997-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 277

(b) Indo-China

All delegations referred to the situation in Indo-China

particularly that of the "boat refugees",

Several delegations

took up the proposal that Mr Vance had made to the General

Assembly that the High Commissioner call a conference of interested

governments. Australia circulated a text of a draft decision (it

is understood on strict instructions from their Foreign Minister,

Mr Peacock), which amongst other things called for formal

consultations between governments before the end of 1978. These

were eventually amalgamated into a decision noting the High

Commissioner's intention to call "substantive and well organised

consultations" in Geneva before the end of 1978. The US delegation

also floated a text on the boat refugees which was largely

incorporated in the final report. It included an interesting

recommendation that the High Commissioner inform IMCO of ships that

disregard distress signals so that IMCO could in turn inform

governments. Malaysia and Thailand supported the High Commissioner's

proposal that countries should announce resettlement quotas.

The FRG announced a contribution of DM 1m for Indo-Chinese

refugees.