GRS 270
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HELSINKI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 222
OF 0507OOZ NOVEMBER 85
0 Mr Leet
Good Wwill draft tel
CONFIDENTIAL arking Embassy
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG.
to thank Finns.
av.
363
@ Reg. A copy to Ben Така нікого Benter SCORRA.
OUR TELNO 216: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1. ON 4 NOVEMBER HEAD OF CHANCERY CALLED ON ANTTI SEPPALA
(#/C REFUGEE AFFAIRS, MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELFARE). SEPPALA CONFIRMED THAT THE NEW RECEPTION CENTRE WILL BE READY BY NEXT MARCH, AND SAID THAT FINLAND WOULD AIM TO TAKE THE MAJORITY OF THE FIRST YEAR'S QUOTA FROM VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG AND THE REMAINDER FROM AMONG VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN INDONESIA (WHERE A FINN IS WORKING WITH UNHCR). HE COULD NOT BE PRECISE AT THIS JUNCTURE, BUT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AROUND 80 FROM KONG KONG AND AROUND 20 FROM INDONESIA.
2. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE THEY HAVE TAKEN SINCE 1979 HAVE INTEGRATED WELL, THE ONLY PROBLEM GROUP BEING YOUNG SINGLE MALES. HE MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD TAKEN HANDICAPPED REFUGEES IN THE PAST, BUT GAVE HEAD OF CHANCERY THE IMPRESSION THAT THE EMPHASIS THIS TIME WOULD BE ON YOUNG FAMILIES.
COMMENT
3. THE SIGNS ARE THUS VERY HELPFUL, PARTICULARLY SINCE, NOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT DECISION IN PRINCIPLE HAS BEEN TAKEN, IT IS THE
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELFARE'S JOB TO IMPLEMENT IT. BUT WE OF
COURSE STAND READY TO HELP AT ANY TIME, PARTICULARLY IF AT SOME STAGE IT IS ENVISAGED TO TRY TO PERSUADE THE FINNS TO TAKE A FEW MORE THAN 100. OUR IMPRESSION IS THAT SEPPALA HIMSELF WOULD BE WELL DISPOSED, BUT IN THAT CASE OTHER AGENCIES WOULD AGAIN BE INVOLVED, AND MIGHT WELL TAKE A DIFFERENT VIEW, GIVEN THE BASIC
BACKGROUND (PARAGRAPH 1 OF OUR TUR).
BROOKE TURNER
MKK 24 31 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY C7 NOV 1985
LIMITED
INDEX
COPIES TO".
HKD
SEAD
UND
WED
DR WILSON.
MR RAWSTHORNE
HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE.
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT
ADVANCED
CONTIDENTIAL
D
Action laken
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