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PUSH-OFF POLICY). HE WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT RECENT ARRIVALS OF KAMPUCHEAN REFUGEES.

5. FRENCH OUTLINED THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG (THE EXTENT OF OUR PROBLEM WAS NEW TO COL. SAID) AND THE PURPOSE OF HIS ROUND OF VISITS TO ASEAN COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM. COL. SAID AGREED THAT A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF RECENT ARRIVALS WERE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS (IN INDONESIA'S CASE YOUNG MEN DODGING MILITARY SERVICE) AND SAID HE SAW VALUE IN A REGIONAL FORUM ON THE ISSUE LIKE THE PROPOSED THAI SEMINAR (IF IT GETS OFF THE GROUND).

6. FRENCH ASKED ABOUT INDONESIAN CONTACTS WITH VIETNAM ON THE ISSUE A ND WHAT PROSPECTS COL. SAID SAW OF A CONCERTED ASEAN APPROACH TO VIETNAM. COL. SAID SAID THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT CONTINUED ΤΟ PRESS VIETNAM ON THE REFUGEE ISSUE, BUT HE FELT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND ASEAN SHOULD BE PREPARED TO QUOTE BARGAIN UNQUOTE WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT FOR MORE ORDERLY DEPARTURES AND CONTROL OF DISORDERLY DEPARTURES IN RETURN FOR AID.

COMMENT

7. INDONESIAN OFFICIALS ARE NOT OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOAT PEOPLE ISSUE, SEEING IT AS VIRTUALLY SOLVED AS FAR AS INDONESIA IS CONCERNED. THEIR RELIANCE ON GEOGRAPHY AND LACK OF SUITABLE BOATS IN VIETNAM MAY BE ETTHER COMPLACENCY OR A FRONT FOR TOUGHER MEASURES. THEY ARE IN EITHER CASE UNLIKELY TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS ON THE SUBJECT, ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD PROBABLY JOIN IN IF ONLY AS A GESTURE OF SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER

ASEAN COUNTRIES IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER COL. SAID'S REMARKS ABOUT BARGAINING WITH VIETNAM REPRESENT AN INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT VIEW. THEY PRESUMABLY DO NOT (NOT) REFLECT THE VIEWS OF ASEAN AS A WHOLE

AT THIS STAGE.

WILSON

·

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