asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the £50,000 aid granted by the Government to Cambodia is sufficient and if he will ensure that an additional substantial sum is made directly available to alleviate the enormous human suffering presently occurring there.
Written Answers. - Aid to Cambodia.
388.
The scale of the present tragedy in Cambodia is so vast that only a major effort by the international community, both at the national level and through co-ordinated international action will have an impact on the situation. As an initial national response, I announced on 9 October a contribution of £50,000 from the disaster relief fund of my Department to the joint UNICEF/ ICRC relief programme for Cambodia. Two days later, I announced that a further £50,000 would be contributed to a joint appeal for Cambodia launched by six voluntary agencies with whom, at my request, I had a detailed discussion on the situation on 10 October. I also indicated my willingness to support the programmes of emergency assistance being organised by these and other voluntary agencies on an individual basis. In this regard, I have already agreed to underwrite the cost of chartering a plane to fly food and medicine to Cambodia, which is being organised by the agency GOAL.
Earlier this year, the Deputy will be aware that the Government made £250,000 available, through UNHCR, for the relief of Indochinese refugees.
At the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers in Ashford Castle last weekend, which I chaired, we agreed that further and most urgent action needed to be taken by the Community in response to the situation. I have now set the procedure in motion to give effect to this decision.