Head of Chancery
Miss Walker
UNCLASSIFIED
Reference..
UN 243/518/1
ніко 243/9
دی
CONFERENCES ON CENTRAL AMERICAN AND INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
1. I attended an "expert level" EC meeting on 28 February to exchange views on the proposed conferences on Central American and Indo-Chinese Refugees.
2.
Central American Refugees
A
My French colleague attended the "open house" preparatory meeting in Antigua at the end of February. She gave us a somewhat disillusioned account of the meeting; nevertheless making it clear that France fully supports the holding of a conference now set for 29-30 May. I expressed UK concerns about the actual number of refugees in the region. Mr Franco (UNHCR) had told me earlier in the day that UNHCR had 146,000 fully documented refugees under its "wing" but there was
asa" grey" area causing great concern at UNHCR. He estimated 893,000 undocumented refugees and 872,000 internally displaced persons. Some participants at the open house meeting had exerted pressure on UNHCR to assist the internally displaced. Franco also told me that the Secretary-General would invite participation in the Conference at Ministerial level within the "next few days". I passed this on to my colleagues, adding that the UK would be represented at assistant level. France excepted, most EC colleagues had no idea of their own level of representation and expressed little interest in the Conference.
3.
Indo-Chinese Refugees
I
Discussion centered on the forthcoming prepcon in Kuala Lumpur. There was nothing new to report. informed the meeting that Mr Vu Khoan would now lead the Vietnamese delegation in Kuala Lumpur. My colleagues were mostly unaware that the dates of the Geneva Conference are 13/14 June. The Presidency hoped that Head of Chancery would brief EC colleagues on his return from Kuala Lumpur.
D M B Curtis
3 March 1989
CC: R Gwynn Esq, UND
Denise Holt, MCAD T Godson Esq, SEAD R Footman Esq, HKD
~/3
MILYEXAM
Mr Ḥaswen
87
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