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(c) Paragraph 2 first line. Despite your clear and helpful Appendix B on Definitions of Terms, I think that the paper has some difficulties in its use of words such as "migrants" in the first line of paragraph 2. One way round this might be to use the neutral term "asylum seekers". The first sentence might then read: "The countries in which these Indo-Chinese have sought asylum
(d)
Paragraph 2 final sentence. You might change "institutionalised avenues to ultimate resettlement" "formal procedures leading to eventual resettlement".
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(e) Paragraph 3(i). My understanding is that the term "settlement" is not used for refugees who remain in places of first asylum. The terms more frequently used appear to be "assimilation" or "integration".
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(E) In the last part of sentence 4 of the same paragraph, the phrase " has been considered impossible" might be changed to
has been judged impossible, on economic and security grounds."
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(g) Paragraph 3 (ii). The Thais usually use the number of 3,000 as the total of Indo-Chinese who have opted for voluntary repatriation since the outflow first began. think that this is no more than a "ball park figure" but offer it for your consideration.
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(h) Paragraph 3 (iii). The figures you use for resettlement totals appear on the low side to me, although I do not feel sufficiently experienced to judge whose statistics are the most reliable. The latest figures produced by the US Department of State give the following figures: US 802,099; Canada 128,776; France 111,727 and Australia 111,150. I attach the relevant extract.
(i) Paragraph 4. I attach the latest set of UNHCR statistics, from which you will wish to update the figures used in this paragraph. For the case of Thailand, the crucial distinction is that those "formerly recognised as refugees" are covered by the mandate of the UNHCR. The remaining "displaced persons" are not. Incidentally, I am not keen on the use of the word "contain"; perhaps "case load" would be a happier phrase.
As you will see from the UNHCR map and from Mr Leeks' minute, the current case load in Hong Kong is around 8,500.
(j) Paragraph 5 is perhaps the key to the whole paper. would suggest breaking your current paragraph 5 into 2 paragraphs and attempt a slight redraft as follows:
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15.
Concern about the continuing outflow of asylum seekers has become widespread, and the rate of resettlement has slowed. As a result, a number of governments have moved to the view that increasingly the motives of Indo-Chinese
RC2ADC
CONFIDENTIAL