TNAG-1748-FCO40-2467-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 87

28/05/88

16:52

REGENT CHA-AM HOTEL 66-32-471492

001

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES CENTRE

INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Saranrom Palace, Bangkok, Thailand.

SEMINAR

ON

FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT FEOPLE

SPONSORED BY THE FORD FOUNDATION

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS

A seminar bringing together representatives in their individual capacities from the countries of first refuge in the region organised by the International Studies Centre was held in Cha-Am, Thailand on 25-28 May 1988. The seminar sponsored by the Ford Foundation. Informal and wide

wide ranging discussions were held on the multiple aspects of the Vietnamese boat people problem.

1.

was

The seminar took note of the critical situation caused by the increasing exodus of boat people from Vietnam. If this exodus continues unabated, it will create unacceptable political, security, economic and social problems for the countries of first refuge. Immediate action is required by the international community to respond with a greater sense of urgency to what amounts to the gravest Indochinese refugee crisis since 1979.

2.

Greater emphasis should be placed on the role of Vietnam as the root cause of the problem and on how to solve it at its source. Vietnam has an obligation both to its own people and to the international community to resolve the problem.

3.

In order to resolve the Vietnamese boat people problem satisfactorily, there is a need for greater efforts and closer cooperative endeavours among all concerned: the country of origin, the countries of first refuge, the resettlement countries, the major donor countries, the international organisations and the non-governmental organisations concerned with the problem.

4.

Discouraging future outflows of non-refugees is of fundamental importance. Pressure must be exerted by all concerned on Vietnam to recognise the humanitarian

humanitarian consequences of the outflow, the negative image created for Vietnam, and the adverse impact on relations with other countries in the region.