3.
ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS SHARED THE VIEW THAT THE PLIGHT
OF THOSE WHO HAVE FLED FROM INDOCHINA, INCLUDING THOSE STILL IN REFUGEE TRANSIT CAMPS IN ASEAN COUNTRIES AND THOSE ALONG THE THAI-KAMPUCHEAN BORDER, REMAINED THE CAUSE OF SERIOUS CONCERN. THESE REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS HAD AN INALIENABLE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. FOR THOSE REFUGEES WITH NO PROSPECT OF A SAFE RETURN, RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES MUST CONTINUE AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION. ASEAN STATED THAT THE PACE OF RESETTLEMENT CONTINUED TO BE A MATTER OF GRAVE CONCERN AND EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE MOMENTUM WOULD BE SUSTAINED. ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS STRESSSED THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN THEIR COORDINATED RESPONSE TO THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OD RHE
REFUGEE POPULATION.
AFGHANISTAN
4.
THE MINISTERS AGREED THAT THE OCCUPATION OF AFGHANISTAN BY SOVIET FORCES WAS A GRAVE CONCERN TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND CONTINUED TO BE A MAJOR SOURCE OF INTERNATIONAL INSTABILITY. ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS PAID TRIBUTE TO THE RESISTANCE OF THE AFGHAN PEOPLE AGAINST FOREIGN OCCUPATION. THE KEY TO PEACE LIES IN THE COMPLETE AND RAPID WITHDRAWAL OF SOVIET FORCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH UN RESOLUTIONS.
EASE-WEST RELATIONS
5.
EC AND ASEAN MINISTERS EXCHANGED VIEWS ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN EAST-WEST RELATIONS AND DISCUSSED THE PROSPECT FOLLOWING THE REYKJAVIK MEETING.
SOUTHERXN AFRICA
ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS PEVIEWED THE PROBLEM OF SOUTHERN AFRICA AND EXPLAINED THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS. THEY WERE IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT IN EXPRESSING GRAVE CONCERN AT THE INCREASINGLY TENSE AND REPRESSIVE SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICA. THEY STRESSED THE URGENT NEED FOR A GENUINE NATICAL DIALOGUE ACROSS THE LINES OF COLOUR, POLITICS AND RELIGION AND CALLED FOR CONTINUING STRONG INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO BRING ABOUT THE TOTAL ABOLITION OF APARTHEID. IN DISCUSSING NAMIBIA THEY REAFFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE UN'S EFFORTS TO BRIGN ABOUT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE GENUINE INDEPENDENCE FOR NAMIBIA THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 435.
MIDDLE EAST
7.
THE MINISTERS EXCHANGED VIEWS AND INFORMED EACH OTHER OF THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS ON THE RANGE OF PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY VIEWED WITH CONCERN THE UNRESOLVED ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT AND CALLED FOR RENEWAL EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE A JUST, COMPREHENSIVE AND LASTING SETTLEMENT BY NEGOTIATIONS. ON
2
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