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voluntary
Mr von Arnim suggested we should make contact with
agencies in New Zealand (he mentioned one called "Kuzo"). Mr Leeks
suggested we might do this through the BRC; and through
representatives of New Zealand voluntary agencies in Hong Kong.
IRELAND: Mr von Arnim said
von Arnim said he had heard from the Irish Government 2
months ag o that they were willing in principle to help, but that
necessary
Mr von Arnim would be going
the "structures" were not yet in place.
to Ireland this week and would raise the issue (but thought that
only a token number of places would be offered).
ICELAND: Likely to attend meeting on 17 December, with other Nordic
countries. It might be worth pushing them further.
Others:
Greece, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg,
Tanzania, Italy: nothing to add to our information.
4.
were
Mr von Arnim asked when Hong Kong would be likely to reach a
decision on how many refugees they might absorb. Mr Galsworthy said
that they would probably want to see the results of our approaches
to other countries before taking a decision. Their initial
contribution was not Likely to be very Large, but we would be
prepared to press them to do something. Mr von Arnim said that he
was aware of the problems, including the "pull factor". But there some 700 refugees registered as living in open camps and hence
included in Hong Kong's refugee statistics who had not been in the camps for 3 years (ie who were already effectively integrated into Hong Kong society). If Hong Kong was formally to announce their
absorption this might provide an
an incentive to other countries. 700
was a good number; and would match the UK's offer. Mr Leeks doubted whether this many actually lived outside the camp; many would also resist being resettled in Hong Kong. Such a decision would almost
certainly become a difficult political issue in Hong Kong. He suggested that UNHCR should first approach the HKG direct on this
matter rather than through HMG.
5.
?
confusion about the
Mr von Arnim said that
that there was some
of refugees who were eligible to come to the UK as family
reunion cases under the
UNHCR believed some
number of
SCORRI
initiative.
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ש