TNAG-1536-FCO40-2100-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 180

Embassy of the United States of America

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2431 Receltlement in 3rd Countings

--THE INDOCHINESE REFUGEE PANEL CHAIRED BY FORMER GOVERNOR RAY EAS COMPLETED ITS DELIBERATIONS AND WILL PRESENTITS REPORT TO SECRETARY CF STATE SHULTZ ON APRIL 18. IT WILL ALSO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE AND PROVIDE REPORTS TO CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS AT THAT TIME.

--THE DEPARTMENT CF STATE IS ARRANGING TO SEND A LIMITEI NUMBER OF ADVANCE COPIES OF THE FULL REPORT BY

COMMERCIAL COURIER. I WILL FORWARD A COPY TO YOU AS SCCM AS IT REACHES US.

--AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THE INDOCHINESE REFUGEE PANEL IS AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE OF DISTINGUIS BED AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO WERE ASKED FY SECRETARY SHULTZ TO REVIEW THE CURRENT INDOCHINESE REFUGEE SITUATION AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FCR UNITED STATES POLICIES AND PROGRAMS.

--THE PANEI REPORT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICIES. THESE WILL BE ENUNCIATED FOLLOWING CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE REPORT AND FUIL CONSULTATIONS AMCNG THE VARICUS SECTIONS CF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR, WITH THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM. WITH THE RESETTLEMENT COMMUNITY, AND WITE TEE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

--I WANT TO BIGELIGET TEI PANEL'S FINDINGS:

C

THE PANEL BELIEVES THAT ALTHOUGH CONDITIONS ARE CHANGING, THE REFUGEE SITUATION IN SE ASIA CONTINUES TO WARRANT SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL RELIEF AND RESETTLEMENT EFFORTS.

C

TEE PANEL RECOGNIZES THAT THE ROOTS OF THE REFUGEE SITUATION IIE WITE VIETNAM AND ITS REPRESSIVE AND EXPANSIONIST POLICIES.

C THE PANEL NCTII THAT FIRST ASYLUM CONTINUES IN THE NATIONS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, BUT THAT THE POLICY IS CONDITIONAL ON EVIDENCE TEAT THESE COUNTRIES WILL NOT EE LEFT WITH A RESIDUAL POPULATION.

C THE PANEL STATEL THAT AMERICAN TRADITIONS OF EUMANITARIAN CONCERN AND RESPONSE REQUIRE CONTINUED D.S. LEADERSHIP IN AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM FOR INDC CHINESE RIFUGIFS.

--IN RESPONSE TO THESE FINDINGS, TBI PANEL MADE A NUMFER CF RECOMMENDATIONS WEICH ARE KEYED TO SIX AREAS WHICH SECRETARY SEULTZ ASKED THEM TO REVIEW. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FRINTED IN FULL IN THE PAPER WHICE I WI11 IEAVE WITH YOU. THEY, OF COURSF, WILL NEED TO BE STUDIED IN TEE CONTEXT OF TEE FUIL REPORT WEICE WE WIII HAVE SOON.

1 FELIEVE TEL FOLLOWING MAY BE AMONG TEE MORE

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2 1 MAY 1986

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