TNAG-0889-FCO40-1099-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 114

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19.

Second, the great pool of refugees in the area should

either be able to return to their homelands in safety or be

resettled permanently in third countries.

Australia is already

pledged to continue to provide. substantial resettlement -

opportunities. We need to work to greatly broaden the range of,

resettlement countries.

Third, the apparatus of protection and assistance to

refugees should be reviewed and strengthened.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is

given an impossible task to handle refugee situations in all

parts of the globe with limited resources.

The refugee problems of the world are not just those

emanating from Indo-China. The United Nations High Commissioner.____

for Refugecs estimates that there are currently 14 million refugees

and displaced persons in the world.

Their circumstances vary as do their reasons for flight.

But all have one thing in common. They find themselves unable to

return to their own countries and they seek sanctuary elsewhere.

The Australian Government has a proud record of

achievement in the resettlement of refugees and displaced persons.

We have accepted-some 400,000 in the past 30 years including, this

year, people from more than 40 countries.

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