CARLOS ROBLES PIQUER, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain: All Governments have a “moral obligation” to help in finding a solution to the “painful consequences” of the most terrible tragedy experienced by the world community in recent history. The problem has two dimensions: one political, the other economic. The political significance is implicit in the difficulties encountered in the efforts to find a durable solution for the problem. It has been suggested that the ideal solution would be voluntary repatriation, but this does not always prove viable.
The only alternative is resettlement in a country of asylum. The situation calls for the granting of durable asylum in countries nearest to the refugees’ country of origin. It will thus be possible to resettle them at low cost, and the social pressures of change will be minimized.
International action should aim at achieving four main objectives. First, the understanding already reached with the country of origin should broadened to provide for the establishment of departure centres within Viet Nam. Second, transit centres should be established as near as possible to the Vietnamese peninsula. Third, conditions should be created to permit the adaptation of refugees to local conditions. Fourth, an international volunteer corps should be set up to assist with the refugee problem.
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