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FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 0234
OF 1801UOZ JANUARY 88
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PARIS, UKMIS GENEVA
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : VISIT OF GEORGES MEZERAY
MEZERAY, CHEF DU BUREAU DES REFUGIES, DIRECTION DE LA POPULATION ET DES MIGRATIONS, MINISTERE DES AFFAIRES SOCIALES ET DE 1'EMPLOI CALLED ON FRENCH ON 15 JANUARY AND VISITED HEI LING CHAU CLOSED CENTRE. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY DELMOTTE FROM THE FRENCH CONSULATE- GENERAL. HE VISITED CHI MA WAN CLOSED CENTRE ON 16 JANUARY.
2. MEZERAY'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE FOR THE RECEPTION AND INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES IN FRANCE. HE HAS ONLY BEEN IN POST A FEW MONTHS. HE
HAD COME TO HONG KONG, AFTER VISITING PALAWAN, AS PART OF A FAMILIARISATION TOUR. HE GOES ON TO THAILAND THIS WEEKEND.
3. THE FOLLOWING POINTS OF INTEREST EMERGED DURING THE COURSE OF THE VISIT AND SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION:
(A) ALTHOUGH MEZERARY HIMSELF DOES NOT (NOT) MAKE THE DECISIONS HE HAS A SIGNIFICANT SAY IN THE ALLOCATION OF FRANCE'S REFUGEE RESETT-
LEMENT QUOTA. HE WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN UNACCOMPANIED MINORS AND THE FRENCH LANGUAGE PROGRAMME OF ECOLES SANS FRANTIERES: MUCH LESS SO IN LONG-STAYERS, EVEN AFTER REHABILITATIVE TRAINING. HIS VISIT MAY (UNDERLINED) PRESAGE AN INITIATIVE ON FRANCE'S PART - HE HINTED AS MUCH.
(B) OF FRANCE'S TOTAL REFUGEE POPULATION OF 170.000, ABOUT HALF ARE INDO-CHINESE AND HALF OF THOSE FROM VIETNAM I.E. ABOUT 40,000. MEZERAY MADE NO (NO) REFERENCE TO INTEGRATION PROBLEMS.
(C) THE FRENCH ADMINISTRATION IS CLEARLY EMBARRASSED BY THE
ACTIVITIES OF MEDECINS DU MONDE AND THEIR (QUOTE) MERCY SHIPS (UNQUOTE).
(D) FRANCE IS CONCERNED AT THE UNCOOPERATIVE ATTITUDE OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES ON ORDERLY DEPARTURES TO FRANCE.
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