T
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7. DENMARK MOLDE AND RUBOW (TELNO B746 FROM WOODHOUSE IN BRUSSELS) SAID THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT WOULD RESPOND ONLY TO AN APPROACH FROM THE UNHCR. TELNO 252 FROM COPENHAGEN CONFIRMED THE DANES WILLINGNESS TO HELP AS THEY HAD OFFERED THE FEW REMAINING PLACES OF THEIR 250 QUOTA TO THE UNHCR FOR HONG KONG. COMMENT - THE DANES PIONEERED THE TEN-OR-MORE SCHEME FOR DISABLED REFUGEES AND THEREFORE A SPECIFIC APPROACH TO THEM ON BEHALF OF THE FEWER THAN 100 DISABLED REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, WITH DETAILS, MIGHT PROVE
SUCCESSFUL.
8. FINLAND SEPPALA SEEMS TO BE THE KEY HERE (TELNOS B749 FROM WOODHOUSE IN BRUSSELS AND TELNOS 216 AND 222 FROM HELSINKI REFER). IT APPEARS AS IF THE 100 WILL BE SPLIT 80/20 #N HONG KONG'S FAVOUR. THE MISSION WILL COME TO HONG KONG IN THE SPRING AND MIGHT TAKE YOUNG FAMILIES OR DISABLED REFUGEES. COMMENT THE FINNS HAVE TAKEN MORE THAN THEY SAID IN THE PAST. WE SHOULD KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH SEPPALA TO BE IN A POSITION TO OFFER HIM A LIST OF THOSE MOST LIKELY
TO MEET HIS CRITERIA.
9. JAPAN HARHMURA AND ANTATSU CLAIMED (TELNO B753 FROM WOODHOUSE IN BRUSSELS) TO BE SURPRISED AT THE SERIOUSNESS OF HONG KONG'S REFUGEE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, WE ARE INCLINED TO TOKYO'S VIEW (TELNO 822) THAT THEY WERE BEING DISINGENUOUS. COMMENT - THE ADDITIONAL 5000 RESETTLEMENT PLACES MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. WE CONSIDER JAPAN TO HOLD SOME PROMISE FOR HONG KONG'S REFUGEES. WE WILL WATCH THE MISSION, WHICH ARRIVES THIS WEEK, VERY CAREFULLY. IT HAS ASKED TO *INTERVIEW 125 REFUGEES. WE HOPE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CRITERIA, TIMING ETC FOR THE ADDITIONAL 5000. AT SOME STAGE HARMURA SHOULD BE CONTACTED TO DISCOVER THE RESULTS OF HMS REGIONAL REVIEW. DESPITE THE PROMISE WE ARE AWARE THAT DELAY MAY BE THE MAIN JAPANESE TACTIC.
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10. FRANCE MARCHAND (TELNO B754 FROM WOODHOUSE HN BRUSSELS) MADE
T CLEAR THAT FRANCE HAD OTHER COMMITMENTS IN THIS REGION AND WE SHOULD NOT (NOT) EXPECT A QUOTA. HOWEVER, HIS AGREEMENT TO CONSIDER FAMILY REUNION CASES HAS BEEN FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH A REQUEST FROM THE CG HERE. COMMENT WE SHALL HAVE TO RELY ON PARIS REVIEWING THESE CASES FAVOURABLY.
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11. GERMANY DESPITE BONN'S FIRM REFUSAL TO RESPOND TO HMG'S INITIATIVE, VON SCHUBERT (TELNO B755) SAID THAT FAMILY REUNION CASES MIGHT BE CONSIDERED. COMMENT THIS IS THE BEST THAT WE CAN HOPE FOR AT THIS STAGE. HOWEVER, MEMBERS OF THE GREEN PARTY WHO PASSED 'THROUGH HONG KONG EARLIER THIS YEAR WERE VERY SYMPATHETIC TO OUR
PROBLEMS.
CONFIDENTIAL
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