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THE RECORD OF WHICH STATES QUOTE THE GROUP EXPRESSED GROWING
CONCERN ABOUT THE RECENTLY INCREASING FLOW OF REFUGEES FROM THE COUNTRIES OF INDO-CHINA TO THAILAND IN PARTICULAR. IT WAS COMMON VIEW THAT THE REAL CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM MUST BE TACKLED, BUT
THAT THE SCOPE FOR ACTION BY THE TWELVE IS LIMITED UNQUOTE.
BUILDING ON THE DISCUSSION IN AWG, WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN INCLUDING AN APPROPRIATE REFERENCE TO THE QUESTION OF
REPATRIATION IN THE DRAFT JOINT DECLARATION OF THE
7TH EC/ASEAN MINISTERIAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON
2/3 MAY, AS FOLLOWS QUOTE THE MINISTERS REGRETTED THAT THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES HAS NOT DIMINISHED SINCE THE LAST EC/ASEAN
MINISTERIAL MEETING. THE REASONS ARE THE UNSOLVED POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF THE INDOCHINA STATES. THE MINISTERS CALLED
FOR A LASTING SOLUTION TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM BY SERIOUS DOMESTIC
REFORMS AND A PEACEFUL END TO THE CAMBODIA CONFLICT. THEY ALSO
CALLED FOR CONSIDERATION AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL OF
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RETURN TO THEIR PLACE OF ORIGIN OF THOSE ARRIVALS WHO DO NOT MEET THE AGREED CRITERIA FOR REFUGEE STATUS, SUBJECT TO SATISFACTORY GUARANTEES AS TO THEIR TREATMENT ON RETURN. AS LONG AS THE FLOW OF REFUGEES CONTINUES AND THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTRIES ARE DENIED THEIR INALIENABLE RIGHT TO RETURN HOME SAFELY, HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS CO-ORDINATED
BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES AND THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
CONCERNED WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EASE THE SUFFERING OF THE
REFUGEES AND TO FIND THEM A NEW HOME ETC AND ASEAN WILL
CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THESE EFFORTS UNQUOTE.
5.
THE DRAFT DECLARATION HAS BEEN PASSED TO ASEAN, AND WE EXPECT THEIR REACTIONS BY THE SECOND HALF OF MARCH. IT IS OF
COURSE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF
DEVELOPMENTS. THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE DRAFT DECLARATION IS THAT IT IS AN EC/ASEAN WORKING PAPER, SO IT COULD BEST NOT BE REFERRED TO DIRECTLY DURING FRENCH'S PLANNED VISIT.
HOWE
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