TNAG-1794-FCO40-2554-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 193

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FOR FOOD AID, THE TWELVE, BOTH COLLECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY AND THE COMMUNITY SHOULD CALL ON THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE

ASSURANCES THAT IT WILL CO-OPERATE IN FINDING A SOLUTION TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM AND WILL ASSUME PROPER RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS PEOPLE.

ANNEX

INDO CHINESE REFUGEES

ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS SHARED THE VIEW THAT THE PLIGHT OF

THOSE WHO HAVE FLED FROM INDO-CHINA, INCLUDING THOSE STILL IN

REFUGEE TRANSIT CAMPS IN ASEAN COUNTRIES AND THOSE ALONG THE THAI/KAMPUCHEAN 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 EXPEDITE THEIR RESETTLEMENT. THE

MINISTERS WERE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT DRAMATIC

INCREASE IN THE FLOW OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, A PROBLEM WHICH

ORIGINATED WITH VIETNAM. THEY WERE OF THE VIEW THAT VIETNAM

SHOULD, IN CONFORMITY WITH HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND IN THE INTEREST OF REGIONAL PEACE, STABILITY AND HARMONY, COOPERATE WITH THE UNHCR, THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM AND THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO FIND A SOLUTION. VIETNAM SHOULD ALSO ACCEPT THE

RETURN OF THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET THE AGREED CRITERIA FOR REFUGEE

STATUS, SUBJECT TO SATISFACTORY GUARANTEES AS TO THEIR TREATMENT ON RETURN.

ASEAN AND EC MINISTERS STRESSED THEIR DETERMINATION TO

MAINTAIN THEIR COORDINATED RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION.

COREU LON

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