A
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MR LUCE'S VISIT TO GENEVA: 11-12 MARCH 1985: DISCUSSION WITH
UNHCR
INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
ESSENTIAL FACTS
1 A copy of FCO memorandum to SCORRI is attached.
Thai/Cambodian Border: UNBRO/UNHCR
2 UNHCR is responsible for the 125,000 refugees, mostly Laotians and Cambodians at camps inside Thailand. UNBRO has had exclusive
responsibility for Cambodian refugees in the border camps. Substantial numbers of these refugees, including many of the 225- 250,000 who fled Cambodia during the current offensive, have now been moved some distance into Thailand, eg to Khao-I-Dang which may result in greater UNHCR involvement. We supported recent EC pledge of food aid (2.2 mecu) to UNHCR for refugees in Thailand. We have
pledged £500,000 to UNBRO's 1985 budget.
3 The Thais have yet to clarify their policy towards the new refugees. There would be clear humanitarian objection to the Thais pushing the Cambodians back over the border assuming they could do this but we
would not wish to see the extra added to the case-load of those
eligible for resettlement.
Search for Durable Solutions
4
Background contained in paras 12-14 of FCO memorandum to
SCORRI.
5 We continue contacts with other resettlement countries and UNHCR
in the hope of encouraging further resettlement from Hong Kong. One
forum for meetings of resettlement countries is the "Honolulu" series
of meetings. We did not attend the 1983 Honolulu Meeting, but last
autumn we accepted a Japanese invitation to a meeting which was to have been attended by major resettlement countries, ASEAN countries, UNHCR and possibly China. This was subsequently cancelled. The
Japanese hosted a lunch in Geneva during the October Executive
Committee (EXCOM) meeting of UNHCR, which we attended. We have not been approached again. Ambassador Douglas, when he called on
Mr Luce on 27 February, did not mention these meetings. However, we have been told by the Australians that a meeting took place in
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/Geneva
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.