CONFIDENTIAL
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CAMPS IN HONG KONG: (REMAINDER FROM CAMPS ELSEWHERE IN SOUTH EAST
ASIA).
3.
WE HAVE ENCOURAGED OTHER COUNTRIES TO RESPOND TO THIS
INITIATIVE BY THEMSELVES TAKING ADDITIONAL NUMBERS FROM HONG
KONG. MANY COUNTRIES HAVE RESPONDED POSITIVELY, INCLUDING
AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, CANADA, DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG,
THE NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY AND SWEDEN. WE AND HONG
KONG ARE GRATEFUL TO ALL THESE COUNTRIES, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE
WHO HAVE AGREED TO TAKE QUOTE LONG STAYERS UNQUOTE AND OTHER
REFUGEES WHO ARE DIFFICULT TO RESETTLE.
4.
IN THE LIGHT OF THESE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE
SIZE OF HONG KONG'S REFUGEE POPULATION, HONG KONG DECIDED EARLIER
THIS YEAR TO ABSORB INTO HONG KONG A FURTHER 250 REFUGEES.
5.
NEED TO ASK YOU TO DO EVEN MORE THAN YOU ALREADY HAVE,
VIEW OF HONG KONG'S SPECIAL PROBLEMS.
IN
ALTERNATIVES TO RESETTLEMENT
6.
ALTHOUGH DEPARTURES FROM THE HONG KONG CAMPS THIS YEAR
ARE RUNNING AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN IN 1985, THE CAMP POPULATION
HAS NOT DECREASED SUBSTANTIALLY BECAUSE ARRIVALS HAVE DOUBLED
(FROM 902 TO 1805 SO FAR THIS YEAR). SADLY, WE SEE NO SIGN THAT
THE LEVEL OF ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG WILL REDUCE MARKEDLY, NOR THAT
RESETTLEMENTS WILL REACH A LEVEL SUFFICIENT TO EMPTY THE CAMPS IN
HONG KONG IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE ARE
KEEN TO CONSIDER WITH OTHER WESTERN GOVERNMENTS AND UNHCR WHAT
ALTERNATIVES MIGHT EXIST TO RESETTLEMENT IN THE WEST ESPECIALLY
THOSE WHO MAY BE FLEEING FOR ECONOMIC RATHER THAN POLITICAL
REASONS. MUST STRESS WE HAVE NO (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED)
IDEES FIXES AT THIS STAGE. WE WOULD WISH TO LISTEN TO WHATEVER
OTHERS MIGHT WISH TO SAY.
FURTHER UK RESETTLEMENT (DEFENSIVE)
7.
AS THE WHITE PAPER ENVISAGED WE ARE CONSIDERING, IN THE
LIGHT OF THE RESPONSE BY OTHERS, ACCEPTING FURTHER LIMITED
NUMBERS FROM HONG KONG IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT PROGRAMME OF
FAMILY REUNION CASES.
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CONFIDENTIAL