5. The Hong Kong Government agreement to the establishment of the RASRO transit centre in Hong Kong represents an effort to ease the problems faced by RASRO participants in resettling ship rescue cases within the 90 day deadline. Hong Kong has agreed to establish the centre, although by doing so, it will
inevitably have to accommodate more refugees than at present.
6.
The British Government would like to reiterate their
gratitude for the positive role played by UNHCR and for the efforts by resettlement countries towards resolving Hong Kong's refugee problems. The British Government hope that Hong Kong's decision to resettle a substantial additional number of
refugees from the camps will encourage these countries to give favourable consideration to increasing their off-take further, and that UNHCR will approach them to this end. In fact, Hong Kong's decision gives UNHCR an excellent opportunity, which the British Government hope that they will use, to press Hong Kong's case with resettlement countries: particularly with those countries which have indicated that they would welcome further approaches from UNHCR on this issue, namely Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
7. The British Government would like to take the opportunity to ask about the progress that UNHCR is making with various resettlement countries. The British Government understanding of the present position is attached.
:
27 February 1986