CONFIDENTIAL
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10. CONSULTATIONS AND PREPARATIONS BY THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL, AND THE
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES PRIOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING (20-21
JULY 179)
1. The UNHCR, at the request of the Secretary-General, started on.
14 June to consult governments for a possible conférence. He has
consulted all members of his Executive Committee, all present
countries of resettlement, the countries of South East Asia and several
· Latin American countries as well as the USSR, China, and the current
Chairman of the African Group. He announced on 30 June that an
International Meeting would be held on 20-21 July.
The meeting is to
deal with all humanitarian aspects of the refugee problem, including asylum and the related questions of rescue at sea, safe and orderly
departure, and durable solutions. The meeting will be both introduced,
and closed, by Dr Waldheim, and Mr Hartling will take the chair if
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Dr Waldheim is absent for bilateral, consultations.
2. Invitations to the meeting have been extended to 72 Governments,
principally Western Europe, Latin America, Asia (but not Laos and
Cambodia), a number of Arab Governments (but not Egypt) and some
African Governments.
Invitations have not been given to the Eastern
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European Governments (except Yugoslavia). The Russians, who have not
yet shown any interest, are being consulted by the UN Mission privately. 3. In preparation for the meeting, Mr Hartling has suggested to
governments an "indicative number" of Indo-Chinese refugees which they
might take. The UNHCR has carefully worked out such numbers for all Geuntries where resettlement would be practicable Che has excluded
the USSR from this category). He has based his calculations both on
GNP and the size of the country. The aim is to double the
current
total of offers of 125,000; the sum total of all indicative numbers
is slightly over 250,000 over the next 12 months.
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