HKGQ 6561/LM 876
14
TOBER 1986
37
Ра
nick 2431 Excom
FOR: DAVID JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY FM: KEN WOODHOUSE IN LONDON
COPIED TO DELIA WALKER, IUKMIS GENEVA
CLINTON LEEKS, HKD (FCO)
HKK 243/12
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
- 5 NOV 1986
UN
CONFIDENTIAL
UNHCR EXCOM: STATEMENTS FROM CANADA, CHINA, JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA
Mek
7/1
THE CANADIAN AMBASSADOR PRAISED THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER'S VIGOROUS START IN HIS NEW JOB. THE AMBASSADOR ASKED FOR MORE BURDEN-SHARING BUT PICKED UP THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS ON THE APPLICABILITY OF THE 1951 DEFINITION (OF REFUGEE STATUS) TO PRESENT REALITIES. HE SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION.
2. THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR ALSO COMPLIMENTED THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER. HE SAID THAT THE DEVELOPING REFUGEE RECEIVING COUNTRIES (FIRST ASYLUM STATES) HAVE ALREADY BORNE HEAVY BURDENS BY RECEIVING AND RESETTLING GREAT NUMBERS OF REFUGEES. IT WAS UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT MORE OF THEM. THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES COULD DO MORE. HE SAID THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WAS THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT CONDITIONS FOR THE REPATRIATION OF INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT PRESENT. HE SAID THAT CHINA HAD HELPED SETTLE 280,000 REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA, MOST (MOST) OF WHOM ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIFE IN CHINA.
3
L
THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR EMPHASISED THE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION WHICH HIS GOVERNMENT HAD MADE TO THE UNHCR. HE SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAD FOLLOWED CLOSELY THE INDO-CHINESE SITUATION AND WAS CONCERNED THAT DOUBLE SOLUTIONS WERE STILL REMOTE. HE PRAISED THAILAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN PROVIDING FIRST ASYLUM AND PLEDGED TO CONTINUE TO HELP THEIR EFFORTS. HE ENDORSED THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S VIEW THAT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION.
W
Lung THE AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE REFERRED TO THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S STATEMENT THAT UNHCR ASSISTANCE MUST NEITHER BECOME AN END IN ITSELF NOR DEFLECT THE PARTIES INVOLVED FROM THEIR OBLIGATION TO TACKLE THE ROOT CAUSES OF REFUGEE FLOWS. HE SAID THAT THE INDO-CHINESE REFUGEE SITUATION WAS FORMIDABLE BUT NOT INSUPERABLE AND DEMANDED A MORE VIGOROUS PERSUIT OF ALL THE CLASSIC DURABLE SOLUTIONS. HE SAID THAT RESETTLEMENT WAS NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION AND, POSSIBLY, HAS BECOME PART OF THE PROBLEM. HE REFERRED TO FOREIGN MINISTER HAYDEN'S CALL AT THE ASEAN MEETING IN MANILA IN AUGUST FOR A REGIONAL APPROACH TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF THE OUTFLOW OF PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM AT SOURCE.
5.
COPIES OF THE SPEECHES FOLLOW BY BAG.
6. LOTS OF TALK ABOUT DURABLE SOLUTIONS, WITH EMPHASIS ON VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, BUT NO (NO) FIRM PROPOSALS. BUT A GROWING FEELING THAT RESETTLEMENT IS NOT ENOUGH AND THAT MORE CONSIDERATION OF THE 1951 CONVENTION IS REQUIRED. CHINA'S ADMISSION THAT NOT ALL OF THE 280,000 ARE SATISFIED IS OMINOUS., JAPAN'S REFERENCE TO THAILAND IS IRRITATING, BUT SINCE THEY TAKE SO FEW NOT TOO MUCH OF A WORRY.
NNN
well, the Thas als
+
have 'Is not !
face Edilk
Cavell
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.