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5. WE SHARE THE CONCERN OF COUNTRIES IN THE REGION TO SEE A GREATER CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS QUICK AND EFFICIENT RESETTLEMENT BY ADVANCED COUNTRIES. WE WILL PRESS FOR MORE TO BE DONE, PARTICULARLY BY THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH COULD ABSORB SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS BUT HAVE NOT YET OFFERED PLACES. AT THE SAME TIME WE WISH TO EXPRESS APPROPRIATE GRATITUDE FOR THE HELP GIVEN BY TRADITIONAL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES (AND BY THE U.K), WE WELCOME
THE INDICATION IN YOUR PARA.2 (LAST SENTENCE) THAT THE U.K DELEGATION WILL EXPRESS H.M.G'S INTENTION OF MAKING SPECIAL PROVISIONS TO RELIEVE THE BURDEN ON HONG KONG.
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6. WE SHARE THE FRUSTRATION FELT BY MANY COUNTRIES IN THE REGION
AT THE BUREAUCRATIC COMPLEXITIES OF THE U.S REFUGEE PROGRAMME. HOWEVER, WE DO NOT WISH TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH POINTED CRITICISM
OF ANY CURRENT RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME. THE AMERICANS HAVE TREATED US GENEROUSLY AND WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE EFFECTIVE PROMOTION OF OUR INTERESTS BY THE U.S CONSULATE-GENERAL HERE. (THE AMERICANS ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR HELP IN REDUCING UNHCR'S COSTS HERE AND THEY APPRECIATE OUR WILLINGNESS TO ISSUE HONG KONG RE-ENTRY PERMITS TO
REFUGEES GOING TO THE U.S)
7. WE HOPE MAJOR NEW RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMES OF INDIVIDUAL
COUNTRIES WILL NOT BE FRAMED IN WAYS THAT RESULT IN A DISPROPORTIONATELY SMALL NUMBER OF THE TOTAL PLACES AVAILABLE
BEING ASSIGNED TO REFUGEES HERE (C.F AUSTRALIAN CONCERN TO AVOID REFUGEES SAILING DIRECT TO DARWIN AND FRENCH PREFERENCE FOR THOSE WHO SPEAK FRENCH) FOR US, AS FOR UNHCR, THE MOST USEFUL OFFERS ARE THOSE WITH MINIMAL RESTRICTIONS (EXCEPT U.K OFFERS BASED ON A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG EXCLAM).
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8. THE WIDER PROBLEM OF REFUGEES WHO HAVE GONE FROM VIETNAM TO CHINA AND WHO WISH TO BE RESETTLED OVERSEAS IS A PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE ISSUE FOR US. SOME HAVE ALREADY REACHED HONG KONG ILLEGALLY (MY TELNO.220 TO PEKING - - NOT TO ALL). WE SHALL TELEGRAPH SEPARATELY ON THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH COULD ARISE IF
THIS BECOMES A PROMINENT TOPIC IN THE CONSULTATIONS.
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