UNCLASSIFIED
13835 - 1
3. ALTHOUGH THE PROPOSAL TO ACCEPT ETHNIC CHINESE FOR RESETTLEMENT
IN HONG KONG WILL NOT BE KEPT SECRET, NO PUBLICITY WILL BE
INITIATED IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ATTRACTING MORE REFUGEES
FROM VIETNAM. IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON
THE FACT THAT THOSE SELECTED DO NOT (NOT) MEET THE RESETTLEMENT
CRITERIA OF OTHER COUNTRIES AND ARE LONG STAYERS. AMONG THE FIRST
TO BE CONSIDERED WILL BE THE 1500 IN KAI TAK WHO HAVE BEEN HERE
SINCE 1979.
4. AS REGARDS XCC(86)23, EXCO ADVISED THAT, IN PRINCIPLE, A RASRO
TRANSIT CENTRE AS DESCRIBED IN THE MEMORANDUM SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED
IN HONG KONG AND NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD BE OPENED WITH UNHCR ON THE
DETAILS WITH A VIEW TO SEEKING AGREEMENT REACHED.
5. WE SHALL CONSIDER, IN DETAIL, THE PROCEDURES TO BE ADOPTED FOR
RESETTLING ETHNIC CHINESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. IT IS NOT CERTAIN
HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE, BUT WE HOPE TO BE IN A POSITION TO BEGIN
RESETTLEMENT IN APRIL.
6. NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE UNHCR ON THE RASRO TRANSIT CENTRE WILL
BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AND, SUBJECT TO THE ARRANGEMENTS BEING AGREED,
IT IWLL COME INTO OPERATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
HOWE
OCMIAN 3835
2
UNCLASSIFIED