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(ii) UNHCR assistance in persuading other countries to follow a UK
example
4. Until we know how many resettlement places the Home Office are prepared to provide, it is difficult for us to be very forthcoming on this subject. However, even if they agree only to take the family reunion cases, we shall need to use the gesture to Hong Kong's maximum advantage by putting pressure on other resettlement countries to match it with similar quotas. UNHCR assistance in this respect will be useful and we should accept such an offer by Mr Hartling. It would be useful if Mr Luce could ask Mr Hartling for details of precisely how UNHCR propose to assist: in recent years they have not pushed other countries on Hong Kong's behalf actively as the Hong Kong Government would have liked. We would of course approach resettlement countries directly ourselves, as well as through UNHCR. The Hong Kong Government have also said that they propose to put pressure on other countries through their Consulates-General in Hong Kong.
as
CLOSED CAMPS
5. When he visited Hong Kong, Mr Hartling was less critical about the closed camps than UNHCR have sometimes been in the past. He was quoted by the Hong Kong Government as having said that the conditions were very encouraging and that both the authorities and the voluntary agencies were doing a very good job, for which he was
very grateful.
6. It would not be appropriate for Mr Luce to tell Mr Hartling in terms at this stage that we cannot accept the SCORRI recommendation that the closed camp policy be ended. However he may wish to explain fairly emphatically that we think the policy has been successful, and that there is wide support for it in Hong Kong.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN CLOSED CAMPS
7.
UNCHR have appointed a full-time education coordinator in Hong Kong (for both open and closed camps). They are constructing a multi-purpose training centre at Hei Ling Chau, which should be operational by mid-year. The Hong Kong Government have indicated that they are willing to consider what further improvements might be made. However they will expect UNHCR to foot most of the bill for
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