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6. Mr Issaka mentioned that his contacts with resettlement countries meny had stressed the need for the UK to continue accepting reunion cases. Canada in particular had mentioned this. When he was in Hong Hong he had heard that the Hong Kong authorities were thinking of ways of encouraging local integratior.
Both the
7. Mr Woodhouse confimed that this was correct end that the Hong Kong authorities were also disappointed that the 20 places pledged a month were not being filled. So far 45 cases had been accepted. Hong Kong Government and UNHCR wanted the local integration scheme to be a success. If the community, through the Legislative Council, asked about the success of what they considered to be a generous offer and found that the offer had not been fully taken up, the offer might be withdrawn. This would be a loss both to Hong Kong and to UNHCR. The Hong Kong Government held seminars for UNHCR staff in Hong Kong on social services systems to which ex-refugees would be eligible. Hong Kong had also discussed this with the major resettlement countries. Mr Woodhouse stressed it was important that the residual hope for resettlement in third countries which UNHCR were leaving with the refugees be removed. The Hong Kong Government felt that the refugees were still hoping that the US, Canada or Australia would be able to take them. Hong Kong would be prepared to relax their criteria for ethnic Chinese. For instance, those who did not meet the resettlement criteria of other countries could be considered for local integration. Refugees wanting local integration in Hong Kong shoulâ be able to sustain themselves: UNHCR were now providing transitional funding towards this, which would particularly cover the search for adequate housing. So far 100-150 have been interviewed by UNHCR for Hong Kong. Both parties would continue to encourage refugees to apply for local integration.
2. Mr Leeks stressed that the UK would continue to appeal for solutions to Hong Kong's refugee problems.
However, the situation was changing: not all refugees were genuine refugees. Did UNHCR think we needed a new approach?
9. Hr Issaka hoped the Inter Governmental Committee (ICG or "Honolulu Group") would think of new solutions to the whole problem, but this would take time. However, the High Commissioner had accepted that third country resettlement was not the full answer. Voluntary repatriation - another solution - needed the agreement of the countries of asylum and of origin and of UNHCR.
10.
Mr Hansson added that voluntary repatriation was different to the return of "screened out" persons. He felt the introduction of a screening system, coupled with
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