TNAG-1184-FCO40-1486-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 133

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7. THE ICRC HEAD SAID THAT THE SAFETY OF THE VIETNAMESE WAS A REAL PROBLEM. THERE HAD BEEN INDICATIONS THAT THE THAIS MIGHT RPT MIGHT BE CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING THEIR GUARDS FROM NW82. THIS WOULD LEAVE THE REFUGEES THERE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO ATTACK BY THE KHMER OCCUPANTS OF NONG SAMET WITHIN WHICH NW82 IS SITUATED. HE SAID THAT GEN. DIEN DEL (KPLNF) HAD ALSO EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN, INDICATING THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PREVENT HIS MEN FROM ACTS OF VENGEANCE AGAINST THE VIETNAMESE. THESE WOULD OF COURSE, HAVE A SEVERE EFFECT ON INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE KPLNF AT A TIME WHEN SUCH SUPPORT WAS MOST NEEDED. THE ICRC HEAD ALSO POINTED OUT THAT A DRY SEASON OFFENSIVE BY VIETNAMESE AND HENG SAMRIN TROOPS COULD QUOTE WIPE OUT

UNQUOTE NW82 EASILY WITH ONLY ONE OR TWO SHELLS.

8. THE ICRC HEAD URGED ALL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO ATTEND THE

MEETING IN GENEVA ON 6 OCTOBER ARMED WITH A COMMITMENT TO "ACCEPT ALL (UNDERLINE FOLLOWING WORD) PROVEN FAMILY REUNIFICATION

CASES AND A MAXIMUM FIGURE OF REFUGEES WITHOUT SPONSORSHIP THEY WOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE. THE ICRC PRESIDENT WILL BE MEETING SQDN. LDR. PRASONG, SECRETARY GENERAL, THAI NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, IN GENEVA ON 8 OCTOBER AND HOPED TO HAVE SOMETHING CONCRETE TO OFFER HIM.

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