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UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING 7-17 OCTOBER 1985
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Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong
Line to take
Resettlement
(Paras 1-4 for inclusion in UK's general statement,
and for use on other occasions as appropriate.)
1. Hong Kong has the largest number of boat people awaiting
resettlement (10,500) of any place of first asylum in South East
Asia. 60% have been there over 3 years. It is becoming
increasingly difficult to find resettlement places: serious risk
that situation of refugees in Hong Kong's camps will deteriorate if
resettlement picture does not improve. UK has accepted 19,000
Vietnamese refugees for resettlement, mostly from Hong Kong
2. HMG have just published White Paper in response to Home Affairs
Select Committee's report on Vietnamese Refugees. White Paper
reflects HMG's concern about Hong Kong's refugee problems. It
announces our agreement to accept for resettlement some 500
Vietnamese Refugees who have relatives in the UK but who would not
qualify for admission under Our normal criteria. Almost all of
these will come from camps in Hong Kong; (remainder from camp s
elsewhere in South East Asia).
3. We hope other countries will respond to this initiative by
taking from Hong Kong whatever additional numbers they can manage:
any assistance, however limited, will be welcomed by us and the Hong
Kong Government.
MKK 243/2
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23 SEP 1985
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