NEVARNARK, DA JE PRET
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for finding a settlement, especially if Vietnam were to shorten the time-frame of withdrawal, as had been hinted. He thanked Australia for agreeing to co-sponsor the UNGA Resolution.
Refugees
4.
Kasit Piromya (Director-General, International Organisations Department) had described the planned schedule of discussions leading up to an International Conference on Indo-Chinese Refugees, and had asked informally whether Australia would be willing to host it. Senator Evans had replied that he would be interested in principle, depending on the prospects for success, and on financial arrangements. The second half of April would probably suit the Australians, as Parliament would not be sitting then, but the date might slip if the preparatory meetings were unable to reach the necessary agreements.
5. In a meeting the following day Mr Kibria (Executive Secretary of ESCAP and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Co-ordination of Kampuchean Humanitarian Assistance) told Senator Evans of his serious concern about the human rights situation in the camps controlled by the Khmer Rouge. He said he would shortly be sending a mission to inspect the camps, and would be calling a meeting of donor countries' representatives to consider its report on 6 December. If the report confirmed his fears, he would have to give serious consideration to cutting off food supplies to the camps. He recognised both that this action would be criticised as harming the civilians in the camps, and that the Khmer Rouge would still be able to get supplies elsewhere (from the Chinese), but it was the only sanction available to him.
TRENINGEN VELKASTE
Bilateral Issues
6. Senator Evans urged the Thais to resume discussions on an extradition treaty, which had stalled because Australian law would not allow offenders to be extradited to face the death penalty, while the Thais argued that clemency was an exercise of the Royal prerogative and could not be prejudged. He also explained Mr Hawke's chemical weapons initiative, saying that he was not proposing a Chemical Weapons Free Zone, but wanted to see regional countries playing a more active role on the issue. The Thais have agreed to receive an Australian delegation to discuss the proposal later this month.
Comment
7.
Senator Evans' visit did not make much of a splash, but will probably have pleased the Thais. They were always somewhat suspicious of his predecessor, Bill Hayden, who set out early
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