TNAG-0895-FCO40-1105-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 184

WHO ARE BEING FORCED TO FLEE SO THAT THEY STOP THEIR FLIGHT. THE

WORLD NEEDS SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THOSE REFUGEES ALREADY IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA AND HONG KONG TO BE RESETTLED. THIS IS AN URGENT REQUIREMENT. VIETNAM MUST RESPOND TO IT AND THEREBY SHOW THAT THE WORLD CAN RELY

ON ITS ASSURANCES.

MR SECRETARY-GENERAL, WE CANNOT HOPE TO RESOLVE ALL THE ASPECTS OF THIS TRAGEDY BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS CONFERENCE. BUT WE LOOK TO YOU TO GIVE US A CLEAR DIRECTION FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTHS. I SUGGEST

THAT WE NEED FIRST TO ENSURE THAT EXISTING PRESSURES ARE EASED. FOR THIS TIME WE NEED COMMITMENTS FROM COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE AREA TO RECEIVE REFUGEES FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT AND TO CONTRIBUTE GENEROUSLY TO THE EVER-ESCALATING COSTS. SECONDLY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT PROPOSALS TO BRING ORDER INTO THE FLOW OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM SO THAT THE PRESENT APPALLING LOSS OF LIFE IS ARRESTED. THIRDLY, WE NEED TO REASSERT THE PRINCIPLES OF FIRST ASYLUM AND THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA WHICH HAVE COME UNDER SUCH STRAIN AS THE PRESENT CRISIS HAS GROWN.

IN THE RESETTLEMENT ARRANGEMENTS THERE MUST BE NO JUMPING OF THE ALREADY OVERLONG QUEUE OF PEOPLE AWAITING RESETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA. INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY SCHEME.

IF OTHERS AGREE, SUCH PARTICIPATION COULD BEST BE CONDUCTED THROUGH A COMMISSION DRAWN FROM A SMALL NUMBER OF NEUTRAL AND NON-

ALIGNED COUNTRIES. THIS COMMISSION WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH THE UNITED

NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES AND THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO SET UP AND MANAGE ACCEPTABLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HANDLING PEOPLE WHO WISH TO LEAVE VIETNAM.

THE SAME COMMISSION, OR ONE LIKE IT, SHOULD ALSO TACKLE THE PLIGHT OF THOSE WHO WISH TO LEAVE LAOS AND CAMBODIA. THE PRESSURE ON

THAILAND IS ALREADY ACUTE. IT COULD BECOME INTOLERABLE IF FIGHTING CONTINUES IN CAMBODIA AND IF THERE IS A SERIOUS FAMINE THERE. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST DO WHAT IT CAN IMMEDIATELY TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE STARVING UNDER EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL SUPERVISION. THERE MUST BE AN END TO THE FIGHTING, A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF THIS MISERABLE AND WAR-RAVAGED COUNTRY MUST BE FOUND.

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IN THE CONTEXT