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funds from us and other governments.
(It cost $6 a day to keep
a refugee in Hong Kong). In any case, as the Palestinian refugee camps in the Middle East had proved, this was no solution. What therefore should we do with them? Hartling then went on to suggest that an understanding between the Hong Kong authorities and UNHCR might be worked out whereby UNHCR took responsibility for family reunification cases and Hong Kong "absorbed" the rest. This would then necessitate a more careful screening related to resettlement than took place at present. But clearly co-operation between UNHCR and Hong Kong officials was very good and this should present no problem. Hartling praised the deten- tion camps which he thought were already a step towards the absorption of the refugees in the economic life of Hong Kong; many of the inmates left daily to go to work and returned in the evening. UNHCR might even be able to assist in the perma- nent re-settlement by raising voluntary funds as they did in the mid-60's to help settle refugees from China in Hong Kong.
4. Hartling concluded by acknowledging that his office in Hong Kong had been urging headquarters to accept responsibility for this group. But headquarters in Geneva had to look at the totality of the South East Asia problem. To accept responsi- bility for these refugees quite apart from the financial considerations - would entail the sacrifice of a basic principle which could have enormous implications. Moreover the High Commissioner had to bear in mind his responsibilities in other parts of the world, particularly Africa where there was 4 - 5 million refugees who as he was being constantly reminded were only getting much the same amount of money allotted to them as the far smaller number of refugees in South East Asia.
J
5. I reminded Hartling at some length of Hong Kong's particular difficulties. But he is clearly very worried about the problem of the refugees coming via China. I undertook to be in touch with you about it.
ccs:
P Cradock Esq CMG
J W D Margetson Esq CMG
M KO Simpson-Orlebar Esq R JT McLaren Esq
A M Simons Esq MVD, FCO
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Jown ear,
دات
James Murray
PEKING
HANOI UND, FCO
HK & GD, FCO
SEAD, FCO
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