CODE 18-77
AWO Ltd. 7/84
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Reference...
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an agreement with Vietnam to accept "screened out" persons, should be considered. A third group of people would consist of those who were not refugees but who fell under third countries' immigration rules for family reunion.
11. Mr Leeks reminded Resettlement Section that Hong Kong accepted all refugees who landed on its shores; the reasons that had led UNHCR to support Hong Kong's need for resettlement of refugees in 1985 had not changed; Hong Kong had returned to the top of the list of first- asylum countries hosting Indo-Chinese refugees and still had the greatest number of long-stayers; if anything, the problem was worse than in 1985: prospects would continue to worsen, particularly if the resettlement rate decreased.
12. Mr Issaka said he shared our concerns, but a major problem was the refusal of the US to accept North Vietnamese who consisted of half of Hong Kong's current arrivals. He concluded by saying that UNHCR would continue to stress the need for resettlement from Hong Kong.
Salle
DJ Walker (Miss)
11 November 1986
RESTRICTED