CONFIDENTIAL
7273
1
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTENDS WITH UNHCR ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE
A SPECIAL MULTI-PURPOSE TRAINING CENTRE. IT WILL BE FUNDED BY
UNHCR (TOTAL COST USDLRS 40,000) AND WILL BE RUN BY THE WORLD RELIEF
VOLUNTARY AGENCY. IT SHOULD BE OPERATIONAL BY MID-1985. ITS
PURPOSE WILL BE TO PREPARE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FOR OVERSEAS
RESETTLEMENT BY TEACHING THEM BASIC MANUFACTURING SKILLS AND USE
OF SIMPLE MACHINERY, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO ALLEVIATE BOREDOM
WHILE THEY WAIT FOR RESETTLEMENT, THUS REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF
FRICTION AND VIOLENCE. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO STEP UP OR
OTHERWISE IMPROVE THESE ACTIVITIES. OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT
IN THE CLOSED CENTRES ARE LIMITED. (OPEN CENTRE REFUGEES ARE OF COURSE FREE TO SEEK OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT). IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO
PROVIDE MORE OPTIONAL, PAID WORK WITHIN THE CENTRES WITHOUT
HARMING THE OVERALL DETERRENT MESSAGE OF THE CLOSED CENTRE POLICY
PROVIDED THE RESOURCES OF LAND AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT WERE
AVAILABLE.
+
THE
(III) THE CALLING OF ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES. THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS ABOUT THIS.
FIRST IS THAT WE ARE NOT AT PRESENT ABLE TO TAKE AN INITIATIVE
GIVEN OUR LOW RESETTLEMENT RATE. THE SECOND IS THAT GIVEN THAT
THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM TAKEN AS A WHOLE IS NOW MUCH LESS
ACUTE THAN IT WAS IN 1979, WE SEE LITTLE PROSPECT THAT A CALL FOR
Ajj CONFERENCE WOULD RECEIVE INTEREST AND SUPPORT FROM OTHER
COUNTRIES INVOLVED. POTENTIAL REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE
HEAVILY PREOCCUPIED WITH OTHER MORE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS, NOTABLY
THOSE IN AFRICA.
ENDS
HOWE
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
•
SIR W HARDING
DR WILSON
13
CONFIDENTIAL