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7. IN MARKED CONTRAST TO THE SITUATION WHERE REFUGEES ARE COMING OVER A LAND FORNTIER, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE ON HUMANITARÞAN GROUNDS TO REFUSE TO ACCEPT REFUGEES WHO COME BY
SEA IN BOATS THAT ARE HARDLY SEA-WORTHY.
(B) MERITS OF COMPETING CLAIMS:
3. OTHERS WILL ARGUE FOR A GREATER SHARE OF RESETTLEMENT PLACES
AT HONG KONG'S EXPENSE SIMPLY BECAUSE THE RESETTLEMENT QUOTE CAKE UNQUOTE IS NOW SMALL AND WILL GET SMALLER. IF WE DO NOT PRESS FOR AN APPROPRIATE SHARE OF WHATEVER IS AVAILABLE, HIT WILL GO TO OTHERS BY DEFAULT. THE AMERICANS MUST DECIDE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT HONG KONG HAS THE LARGEST POPULATION IN THE REGION, AND A HARCORE OF OVER 4,000 VRS WHO HAVE BEEN STUCK HERE FOR OVER TWO YEARS:
(C) HAWA.HH CONFERENCE:
9. WE HAVE NOW SEEN REPORT OF THE OUTCOME OF THIS GATHER ING FROM MANY SOURCES. LITTLE WAS ACCOMPLISHED: THE PARTICPANTS (US, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, UNHCR) AGREED THAT RESETTLEMENT SHOULD CONTINUE WITH AS MANY COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING AS POSSIBLE AND THAT OPTIONS OTHER THAN RESETTLEMENT, E.G. VOLUNTARY RETURN TO VIETNAM, MUST BE KEPT OPEN FOR VRS NOW IN CAMPS AROUND THE REGION.
(D) NEW US GUIDELINES:
i
10. YOU CAN REFER TO THESE, SKNCE US VOLAGS WILL ALREADY BE AWARE OF THEM. WE SUGGEST YOU ADOPT A NON-COMMITTAL LINE, H.E. THAT HONG KONG WELCOMES ANY RELAXATION IN THE PRESENT TOUGH US REFUGEE CRITERIA, BUT THAT THE EFFECT (IF ANY) OF THE PRESENT CHANGES HAS YET TO BE SEEN.
(E) ATTITUDES OF THE 4 PERSONS YOU WILL MEET:
11. DEVECCH-R WAS HERE IN JANUARY AND SO WILL BE LESS UP TO DATE THAT WALTER AND DE HAAN WHO CAME HERE THIS MONTH. ALL MAY BE EXPECTED TO BE SYMPATHETIC TO HONG KONG'S PREDICAMENT, WHILE REGRETFUL OF THE NEED FOR CLOSED CENTRES. THE AIM OF YOUR INTERVIEWS SHOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT THEIR SYMPATHY FOR HONG KONG IS NOT SUBMERGED BY OTHER EQUALLY JUSTIFIED SYMPATHY FOR THAILAND AND MALAYSIA AND THE VARYING POLICIES OF SO-CALLED HUMANE DETERRENCE THEY TOO HAVE ADOPTED.
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