CONFIDENTIAL
7 THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO CONVENE BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAJOR
RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HERE. USING BRITAIN'S INITIATIVE AS A PLATFORM, THE REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE ASKED TO SEEK ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT PLACES AS PART OF A BURDEN SHARING SOLUTION TO HONG KONG'S VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM. AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, THESE MEETINGS WILL BE ARRANGED BEFORE THE UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETS IN GENEVA FROM 7 TO 17 OCTOBER.
8. A SENIOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICER WILL ATTEND THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN GENEVA. IN ADDITION TO SPEAKING AT
THE FORMAL PROCEEDINGS, HE WILL HOLD A SERIES OF BILATERAL AND MULTI-LATERAL MEETINGS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RESETTLEMENT
COUNTRIES WHO ARE ATTENDING THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. HE WILL BE ASSISTED AND SUPPORTED BY STAFF FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE IN GENEVA.
9. FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, THE SPOKESMAN SAID
THAT THE HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE WILL VISIT THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN BRUSSELS, LONDON, NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON TO BRIEF THEM ON DEVELOPMENTS AT THE MEETING IN GENEVA AND TO DISCUSS
HOW BEST THEY CAN CONTINUE TO LOBBY FOR MORE RESETTLEMENT PLACES.
10 ''ONCE THESE INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNHCR, THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO RESPOND FAVOURABLY TO BRITAIN'S DECISION TO ACCEPT
MORE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. THE OBJECTIVE WILL BE TO SET CLEAR
REALISTIC TARGETS WHICH WILL ACT AS AN INCENTIVE FOR THE
RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES.''
YOUDE
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
NEWS.D
MR WILSON
COPIES TO:
MR RAWSTHORNE, HOME OFF.
(LUNAR HOUSE)
HKGO.
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