The Foreign Minister of Indonesia as Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee has had consultations with the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Bangkok from 13 to 18 February 1979 on the question of the Indo-China Refugees.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers express grace concern over the Indo-China refugee question which has increasingly become a burden for the countries in the region causing problems of an economic social and political nature affecting also their National security.
The ASEAN member-countries however are aware that the Indo-China refugee problem is a humanitarian problem which because of its magnitude and implications is no longer a problem of the Southeast Asia region alone but has become truly a matter of concern for the whole civilized world.
It is for this reason and in response to the last Geneva Conference on refugees that the ASEAN member countries are ready to offer a positive and concrete contribution towards the alleviation of the burden and the eventual solution of the refugee problem. They are studying the possibility of providing a place or places in the ASEAN region to be utilized as a site for a UNHCR refugee processing centre. This offer, however, can only be realized if the necessary support can be obtained from the UNHCR, Vietnam and other countries especially those with developed economies, who have often expressed their concern for human suffering and the necessity of upholding humanitarian principles.
The ASEAN countries wish to emphasize that the objective of resettlement in third countries should be kept in vie,. The sites or the islands shall be transit points, not permanent places of settlement, for reasons that are spelled out above.
The actual offer by the Government of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines of an island for the establishment of an UNHCR Processing Centre for Indo-China refugees depends on the fulfillment of, inter alia, the following conditions:
The ASEAN member-countries call upon the countries of Indo-China, especially Vietnam, to cooperate in the efforts of the UNHCR and the world community to alleviate and eventually solve the problem of Indo-China refugees.

Statement on behalf of ASEAN by Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee (1979) BANGKOK, 21 FEBRUARY 1979
The Foreign Minister of Indonesia as Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee has had consultations with the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Bangkok from 13 to 18 February 1979 on the question of the Indo-China Refugees. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers express grace concern over the Indo-China refugee question which has increasingly become a burden for the countries in the region causing problems of an economic social and political nature affecting also their National security. The ASEAN member-countries however are aware that the Indo-China refugee problem is a humanitarian problem which because of its magnitude and implications is no longer a problem of the Southeast Asia region alone but has become truly a matter of concern for the whole civilized world. It is for this reason and in response to the last Geneva Conference on refugees that the ASEAN member countries are ready to offer a positive and concrete contribution towards the alleviation of the burden and the eventual solution of the refugee problem. They are studying the possibility of providing a place or places in the ASEAN region to be utilized as a site for a UNHCR refugee processing centre. This offer, however, can only be realized if the necessary support can be obtained from the UNHCR, Vietnam and other countries especially those with developed economies, who have often expressed their concern for human suffering and the necessity of upholding humanitarian principles. The ASEAN countries wish to emphasize that the objective of resettlement in third countries should be kept in vie,. The sites or the islands shall be transit points, not permanent places of settlement, for reasons that are spelled out above. The actual offer by the Government of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines of an island for the establishment of an UNHCR Processing Centre for Indo-China refugees depends on the fulfillment of, inter alia, the following conditions: (i) that firm commitment can be obtained from third countries that the refugees be taken from the processing centre within a reasonable time so that the country or countries providing the island will not be saddled with a residual problem; in the same way, that the countries of first transit should be given commitments so that they will not be saddled with a residual problem; (ii) that the countries providing the site or island for the processing centre shall have the right to limit the number of refugees depending on the degree of response from third countries. (iii) that the countries providing the site or island for the processing centre shall retain the sovereignty, administrative control and security responsibility over the island; (iv) that the cost of development, maintenance and administering the processing centre as well logistics requirements including transportation and transfer of Indo-China refugees in ASEAN countries to the proposed site shall not be borne by the country providing the site; (v) that the UNHCR and countries with developed economics which have shown concern for humanitarian matters commit themselves to make their contributions to the alleviation of the problem of Indo-China refugees with particular attention to the problem of resettlement. The ASEAN member-countries call upon the countries of Indo-China, especially Vietnam, to cooperate in the efforts of the UNHCR and the world community to alleviate and eventually solve the problem of Indo-China refugees.