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077462
MDLIAN 9999
THEY WELCOMED THE INITIATIVES OF PRINCE SIHANOUK IN THE SEARCH FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND URGED ALL THOSE CONCERNED TO HELP ACCELERATE THE SEARCH FOR SUCH A SETTLEMENT. THEY APPEALED IN PARTICULAR TO VIETNAM TO JOIN THE PRINCE IN THE PEACE TALKS, AS THE CAMBODIAN CONFLICT IS NOT AN INTERNAL PROBLEM OF THE CAMBODIANS, BUT A RESULT OF FOREIGN
MILITARY OCCUPATION.
8.
9.
10.
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-KAMP UCHEAN BORDER, REMAINED THE CAUSE OF SERIOUS CON- CERN. THESE REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS HAVE AN INALIEN- A BLE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. FOR THOSE REFU- GEES WITH NO PROSPECT OF A SAFE RETURN, RESETTLEMENT IN THIRD COUNTRIES SHOULD BE REGARDED AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION. THE MINISTERS WERE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT DRAMATIC INCREASES IN THE FLOW OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHICH POSE SEVERE ECONOMIC SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND SECURITY PROBLEMS TO THE ASEAN COUNTRIES. THEY WERE OF THE VIEW THAT AS THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED WITH VIETNAM, VIETNAM SHOULD, IN CONFORMITY WITH HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND IN THE INTEREST OF REGIONAL PEACE, STABILITY AND HARMONY, TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO HALT THE FLOW. THEY URGED VIETNAM TO EARNESTLY COOPERATE WITH THE UNHCR AND THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES IN ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME
(ODP).
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ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS STRESSED THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAIN- TAIN THEIR COORDINATED RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION CONCERNING
INDOCHINESE REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS.
AFGHANISTAN
TO BE FORMULATED AT A LATER STAGE.
MIDDLE EAST
THE MINISTERS DISCUSSED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND EKSPRESSED THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE SITUATION IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. THEY REFERRED TO DECLARATIONS AND DEMARCHES MADE BY THE TWELVE, INCLUDING THE DECLARATIONS OF FEBRUARY 23RD, JULY 13TH, DECEMBER 5TH, 1987, AND FEBRUARY 8TH, 1988, AND TO RESOLUTIONS OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL. THEY SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AS THE SUITABLE FRAMEWORK FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION. THE TWELVE AND ASEAN CONTINUE ΤΟ SUPPORT THE SOVEREIGNTY INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE OF LEBA-
ΝΟΝ.
THE IRAQ IRAN CONFLICT IS CONTINUING TO CAUSE GREAT HU- MAN SUFFERING AND HEAVY MATERIAL LOSS. IT THREATENS THE STA-
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