HKCS
SHEET NO..
a country of resettlement and first asylum but also as a bridge
between the East and the West, a role as we pointed out which only be continued if Hong Kong remains a stable and peaceful place.
We drew his attention to the tensions and problems created by the
continued presence of tens of thousands of Vietnamese refugees.
12:00 noon: Interview with Mr. Anders Mellbourn, Associate Foreign
Editor, Dagens Nyheter, which is one of Sweden's largest and most
influential paper (liberal but outspoken on social issues). Mr.
Mellbourn has been in Hong Kong and China. The conversation centred
around similar issues as above. He promised to publish a helpful
article.
1:00 p.m.:
Lunch with:
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Mr. J.D.K. Grant, British Embassy
Mr. B. Jorn Elmer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Elmer told us that the central issue in Swedish immigration policy
today is to establish a working cooperation between the immigrants
and the Swedish population which is no longer a homogenous society.
It has among its population of 8.2 million 425,000 foreign nationals,
300 immigrants who have obtained Swedish citizenship and nearly 300,000
citizens whose parents were immigrants to Sweden. The foundation of Sweden's policy is expressed in the word; equality i.e. that on the
whole immigrants have the same rights and obligations as Swedish
citizens even if they have not become Swedish citizens.
Immigrants are employed in mining and industry, catering and cleaning trades, unskilled occupations within the medical and health services.
Sweden has a falling birth rate and the children of immigrants are
thus an important part of Sweden's future.
Mr. Elmer reconfirmed that the selection of boat refugees are based
upon the recommendations of the UNHCR. He realizes that Hong Kong
has been unfairly treated and strongly suggested to approach the
UNHCR directly. Sweden is happy to take refugees from Hong Kong.
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