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16.
Mr Murray commented that the meeting in Geneva with the UNHCR would be very important. It would need to:-
17.
a) consider how to help Malaysia and Thailand;
b)
face up to the fact that the refugees were leaving with the connivance, perhaps with the active encouragement, of the Vietnamese Government.
Tengku Rithauddeen said Malaysia did not regard those on the "Hai Hong" as refugees, because they had paid heavily for their passage.
The "Hai Hong" had been registered in Panama for just one month. Malaysia considered as refugees those who left their homeland because of well-founded fears of persecution. The reason those on the "Hai Hong" were leaving was economic; they had to be treated as illegal immigrants. A home must be found for them, however; was Africa a possibility?
18. Dr Owen said that Africa could not cope with its own problems at present. The situation for President Kaunda was very grave - there was a real danger of Zambia becoming another Lebanon, with guerilla groups commanding stronger forces than the Central Government. The situation in Namibia was on a knife-edge; we did not know whether South Africa would cooperate. So far as Rhodesia was concerned, the Government had just announced the intention to send Mr Cledwyn Hughes out to see if there were any basis for an all-party conference. If so the Prime Minister was ready to chair such a conference, in the hope that this new initiative would enable progress to be made. But Dr Owen was not optimistic. Zaire, Angola and Mozambique all had their problems.
19. On the credit side, Kenya had successfully weathered the transition to a new President, and in Nigeria the time-table for transition to a civilian government was very creditably being maintained. Nigeria had economic problems - her oil bonanza was largely over- but fortunately she had good leaders. Ghana, too, was facing serious economic difficulties, but the government seemed ready to take tough measures.
20. The Ugandan military action in Tanzania was totally unjustified, though Uganda had a minor grievance from Milton Obote's continuing refuge in Tanzania. Dr Owen said the continued closure of the Kenya/Tanzania border was incomprehensible - two such Commonwealth countries should be able to resolve their differences.
21.
Tengku Rithauddeen asked about elections in Namibia. Dr Owen said we could not stop the elections in December; but if South Africa were then to call a constituent assembly, ignoring UN requirements, the issue of economic sanctions would have to be faced.
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