TNAG-1276-FCO40-1626-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 158

1

i).

HKC 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGIOİNY

2 5 AUG 1983

**

INDEX

PA

GISTRY Action Taken

~CON ACTIVE

CONATIVE GROUP ON REFUGEE

PRESS STATEMENT

Mr. How to see

243/2

Representatives of the Governments of Australia, Canada, Japan

and the United States, as well as representatives of the United

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), held informal

meetings in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 1, 2 and 3 to discuss the

current refugee situation in Southeast Asia. During the compre-

hensive discussions, the participants gave their views of the

situation in the area and covered a wide range of subjects that

included current rates of resettlement, refugee care and main-

tenance, voluntary repatriation, the Orderly Departure Program

from Vietnam, anti-piracy efforts, number of persons in first

asylum countries and the need for a renewed effort to broaden

international participation in the Southeast Asian refugee program

effort.

In this last regard, the participants agreed to urge the UNHCR,

which was recognized by all parties as the key coordinating agency

in refugee relief, to maintain its efforts to secure the broadest

degree possible of international participation in the resettlement

and relief program for Southeast Asian refugees. All participants

agreed that the long-term solution of the problem will require

implementation of a mix of policies. In this context, the parties

noted that voluntary repatriation was an important goal.

Participants also restated their commitment to the nations of

first asylum to help solve the problem through the resettlement of,

and provision of assistance to those refugees, until such time as

a humane and lasting solution to their plight was achieved.

ee with

ес

copy of

(20)

UNICR paph

attached Hantling - Dongles letter but without UNHCR

talintirol tables to Miss Walker HKD