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3.
To maximise the effect of our decision and Hong
Kong's, we are pressing other resettlement countries to take additional refugees from Hong Kong. It is too early yet to
know how many will respond with concrete offers of
resettlement places; so far Australia (200 refugees), Canada
(50), Finland (70), the Netherlands
the Netherlands (80), New Zealand (19)
and Sweden (100) have offered specific increases. The US, which resettles more Indo-Chinese refugees than
any other
country, is currently accepting refugees at an annual rate
of some 1,800, 200
200 more than the previous year's ceiling.
Several other countries (including Belgium, Denmark,
Luxembourg and Greece) are likely to respond favourably.
4.
The question of involuntary repatriation has been
considered in the past, and rejected on humanitarian
grounds. The Hong Kong Government recently asked us to discuss it with HM Ambassaodr, Hanoi, when he comes on leave
shortly. We have agreed to speak to him, but have told Hong
Kong we do not think the idea will run.
respectable arguments for it, but it would be politically impossible.
There are
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