§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as to how aid is provided through United Nations agencies in Cambodia and where, and to whom, it is distributed; and if he is satisfied that food supplied by the agencies is reaching only those for whom it is intended.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe international community provides aid in Cambodia through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and in the Cambodian refugee camps on the Thai border through the United Nations Border Relief Operation (UNBRO).
The UNHCR concentrates on small-scale reintegration projects for returned refugees. UNICEF concentrates on humanitarian programmes in Cambodia. In the refugee camps UNBRO administers directly and through voluntary agencies programmes to provide food, water, shelter, relief supplies, health and social services, primary education and adult literacy to over 300,000 refugees. We have assurances from UNBRO that the aid supplied benefits those for whom it is intended by the donors.
464WMy predecessor made clear to those concerned that Britain's financial contribution should go only to people in those camps occupied by the non-Communist elements of the Cambodian resistance. We received assurances from UNBRO that this stipulation was observed. However, in view of recent allegations, I am reiterating the conditions of our contributions.