RESTRICTED
OCMIAN 4875
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PP TOKYO
FM FCOLN TO TOKYO
1210152 FEB
GRS 630
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY TOKYO
TELNO 117
OF 1210152 FEBRUARY 86
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
TOP COPY
14875 1
MKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
14 FEB 1986
DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:
1.
(A)
(B)
RESETTLEMENT
HONG KONG HAVE AGREED:
TO ABSORB IN HONG KONG UP TO 250 ETHNIC CHINESE
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM CAMPS IN HONG KONG (AT A RATE OF
ABOUT 20 MONTHLY).
TO ESTABLISH A RASRO (SHIP RESCUE) TRANSIT CENTRE IN HONG
KONG.
2.
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INFORM THE JAPANESE OF THESE DECISIONS, STRESSING THAT THE ABSORPTION OF FURTHER REFUGEES IS A COURAGEOUS MEASURE BY HONG KONG GIVEN THEIR DIFFICULTIES IN BEING SEEN TO GIVE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES A BETTER DEAL THAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA, MANY OF WHOM HAVE FAR CLOSER FAMILY AND CULTURAL TIES WITH HONG KONG. THE FIGURE OF 250, WHICH IS ON TOP OF THE 14500 DISPLACED INDO-CHINESE THAT HONG KONG HAVE ALSO ABSORBED, IS HIGH COMPARED WITH THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLLY WHEN SEEN IN TERMS OF THE SEVERE POPULATION PRESSURES IN HONG KONG. THE REFUGEES BEING RESETTLED WILL BE DRAWN FROM THE LONGEST STAYERS (OVER 6 YEARS) IN THE HONG KONG CAMPS, AND WILL THUS BE
THIS AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE PROVED HARDEST TO RESETTLE ELSEWHERE. IS A VERY HELPFUL CONTRIBUTION BY HONG KONG TO RESOLVING THE
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