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5. HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES COULD AGREE TO LET SOME REFUGEES DISEMBARK FROM THE HUEY FONG AS OTHER REFUGEES ALREADY IN HONG KONG AT THE FRONT OF THE QUEUE LEFT FOR RE-SETTLEM- ENT. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE OFFER FROM FRANKFURT ALONG THESE LINES IN RESPECT OF 250 PEOPLE HAD BEEN DECLINED. OFFERS FROM INDIVIDUAL.
CITIES LIKE FRANKFURT WERE JUST THE SORT OF THING UNHCR NEEDED IF
THE FEDERAL GERMAN AUTHORITIES WERE TO BE ENCOURAGED TO BE MORE
FORTHCOMING. OTHER GERMAN CITIES HAD SHOWN INTEREST, AS APPARENTLY
HAD BIRMINGHAM. IT WOULD BE DISASTROUS IF SUCH OFFERS WERE TURNED
DOWN.
5. THE HIGH COMMISSIONER SAID IT WOULD ALSO HELP IF THE HONG KONG
AUTHORITIES WOULD LET UNHCR REPRESENTATIVES INTERVIEW AND ASSESS
THE REFUGEES ON THE HUEY FONG AS THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE IN
MANILA HAD
BE ALLOWED TO DO IN THE CASE OF THE TUNG ́AN. MUCH
USEFUL INFORMATION HAD BEEN LEARNED ABOUT REFUGEES' CONNECTIONS WITH
POTENTIAL RECIPIENT COUNTRIES. IN THE HUEY FONG CASE UNHCR DID NOT
EVEN KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS INVOLVED.
7.
I EMPHASISED THE KEY ROLE WHICH THE UNHCR HAD TO PLAY
IN BRINGING PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THE VIETNAMESE TO REGULATE THE
FLOW OF REFUGEES. HARTLING SAID THAT THIS WAS A DELICATE
MATTER, HIS MANDATE PRECLUDED HIM FROM ASKING VIETNAM TO STOP OR SLOW.THE OUTFLOW. HE WAS HOPING TO MAKE IT MORE IT MORE RGULAR BY SOLVING FAMILY REUNIFICATION CASES. THE
UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE IN HANOI WAS RETURNING THIS WEEKEND AFTER LEAVE AND HARTLING HOPED FURTHER PROGRESS COULD BE MADE.
8.
HARTLING CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT HE WOULD BE MAKING
A PERSONAL APPEAL TO THE US AMBASSADOR HERE ASKING HIM TO
ENSURE A SIGNIFICANT AND EARLY SPEEDING UP OF RE-SETTLEMENT
FROM HONG KONG. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE QUEUE
WAS MOVING. THIS WOULD EASE THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS OF THE
HONG KONG AUTHORITIES IN DEALING WITH HUEY FONG. HE EXPRESSED
UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR DIFFICULTIES, AND WE AGREED TO KEEP
IN THE CLOSEST TOUCH.
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19. IF