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Kampuchea

Volume 972: debated on Monday 22 October 1979

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asked the Prime Minister if she will seek to hold discussions with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth with a view to drawing up plans to prevent the mass starvation which now threatens the entire population of Kampuchea.

The international committee of the Red Cross and UNICEF have jointly planned a major international effort to relieve the famine in Cambodia. The Government have kept in touch informally with the United Nations Secretary-General and the two organisations.ICRC/UNICEF have started moving relief supplies into Cambodia. So have voluntary agencies such as OXFAM. Many Governments have offered aid, including our own and other Commonwealth Governments. The period of consultation has now given place to the period of action.We have made available in Bangkok a Hercules aircraft of the RAF which is currently in use by the ICRC ferrying supplies to Cambodia, and will be providing £1 million worth of rice and, subject to parliamentary approval, a further US $5 million of aid.