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SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE AND BRUNEI
4-11 APRIL 1988
INDO-CHINA
Essential Facts
1.
Sihanouk remains on leave of absence as President of CGDK although he has rescinded his 'resignation', announced in January. He has refused to meet Hun Sen again unless latter offers genuine concessions on formation of coalition government, holding of free elections, in Cambodia. Sihanouk's efforts to hold talks with Vietnamese, who maintain over 100,000 troops in Cambodia, spurned by
latter.
2. Both Sihanouk and Hun Sen have called for the convening of an International Conference to guarantee any agreement reached among the Cambodian groups. We retain an open mind but would wish to see more signs of progress before agreeing to attend. However, we have informally invited Sihanouk to visit London so as to explore his thinking further. He has said he would like to come in September.
3. Hong Kong currently has largest case load of Indo-Chinese refugees outside Thailand. Currently some 9,700 Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong, 115,000 refugees and 280,000 displaced Cambodians in Thailand, 9,100 in Malaysia. Singapore and Brunei maintain hostile approach, refuse to counterance arrival of refugees. Resettlement slowing, partly as result of belief in main resettlement countries that many now fleeing for economic motives, rather than in fear of persecution. Frustrated by slow down in resettlement, upsurge in arrivals, Thailand resorted to policy of "pushing-off" new arrivals early this year.
4.
But
To date over 20,000 Indo-Chinese refugees resettled in UK. main resettlement countries consider our present efforts (468 over 2 years from Hong Kong) as inadequate believe we should do more in Hong Kong. USA in particular therefore concentrating its efforts elsewhere in region. In search for more effective solutions, we are consulting with main resettlement countries (US, Canada, Australia)
MR3AAB
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