TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 52

RESTRICTED

PA

RESTRICTED FM SEC COREU ΤΟ ALL COREU

нио

243/8

IMMEDIATE DESKBY 19060OZ

M3

106320

MDHIAN 6133

CPE/SEC 200

18-4-88

1815Z

PART 2 OF 2

DIFFUSION

RESTREINTE

8. REFUGEES

ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS SHARED THE VIEW THAT THE PLIGHT OF THOSE WHO HAVE FLED FROM INDOCHINA, INCLUDING THOSE STILL IN REFUGEE TRANSIT CAMPS IN ASEAN COUNTRIES AND THOSE ALONG THE THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER, REMAINED THE CAUSE OF SERIOUS CONCERN. THESE REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS HAVE AN INALIENABLE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. THE COMMUNITY IS READY TO ASSIST IN THEIR RETURN. AS LONG AS

THE FLOW OF REFUGEES CONTINUES, HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS CO-ORDINATED BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM, THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EASE THE SUFFERING OF THE

REFUGEES AND TO FIND THEM A NEW HOME.

/

THE MINISTERS WERE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE FLOW OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. THEY WERE OF THE VIEW THAT VIETNAM SHOULD, IN CONFORMITY W

TH HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND IN THE INTEREST OF REGIONAL PEACE, STABILITY AND HARMONY, COOPERATE WITH THE UNHCR AND THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO FIND A SOLUTION. VIETNAM SHOULD ALSO ACCEPT THE RETURN OF THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET THE

AGREED CRITERIA FOR REFUGEES STATUS, SUBJECT TO SATISFACTORY GUARANTEES AS TO THEIR TREATMENT ON RETURN.

ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS TRESSED THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN THEIR COORDINATED RESPONSE T THE SITUATION.

9.

AFGHANISTAN

MINISTERS WELCOMED THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE

INDIRECT GENEVA TALKS ON AFGHANISTAN ON 14 APRIL 1988.

1

PAGE

RESTRICTED