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14866
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OCMIAN 4866
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PP WASHI
FM FCOLN TO WASHI
121045Z FEB
GRS 747
HKK 243/
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
13 FEB 1986
DESK OFFICEN
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| Action Taken
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FM FCO
TO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
TELNO 256
OF 121045Z FEBRUARY 86
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO WASHINGTON INFO PRIORITY HKGO NEW YORK
HONG KONG TELNO 421 TO FCO (BEING REPEATED TO WASHINGTON): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
AS REPORTED IN TUR HONG KONG HAVE AGREED TO RESETTLE IN HONG KONG UP TO 250 ETHNIC CHINESE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM CAMPS IN HONG KONG (AT A RATE OF ABOUT 20 MONTHLY), AND TO ESTABLISH A RASRO TRANSIT CENTRE IN HONG KONG.
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WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INFORM THE AMERICANS, 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
IS DISPLACED INDO-CHINESE THAT HONG KONG HAVE ALREADY ABSORBED, HIGH COMPARED WITH THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY 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 AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE PROVED HARDEST TO RESETTLE ELSEWHERE. THIS IS A VERY HELPFUL CONTRIBUTION BY HONG KONG TO RESOLVING THE PROBLEM OF HARD TO RESETTLE' REFUGEES IN
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