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MDHIAN 2957

10. WITH RESPECT TO UNHCR'S POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT IN SUCH A PROCEDURE UNHCR NOTES, FIRST, THE INTENTION OF THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE WHO ARE GRANTED REFUGEE STATUS UNDER THE NEW PROCEDURE IN THE SAME CAMPS WHERE CURRENT ARRIVALS ARE LODGED AND TO LIBERALIZE THE CONDITIONS IN THESE CAMPS. THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS ARE WELL AWARE OF UNHCR'S CONCERN, WHICH HAS BEEN REITERATED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, REGARDING THE RESTRICTIVE

CONDITIONS IN THESE CAMPS. IT IS UNHCR'S UNDERSTANDING THAT LIBERALIZAITON OF THESE CONDITIONS WILL MEAN PROMPT RETURN TO THE CAMP SITUATION WHICH EXISTED IN HONG KONG PRIOR TO JULY 1982 IN WHICH REFUGEES WERE ABLE TO ENJOY BASIC AND INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARDS OF TREATMENT.

11. UNHCR ATTACHES PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO SUCH A CHANGE IN THE NATURE OF THESE CAMPS, SINCE THOSE WHO HENCE FORTHWILL BE ACCOMMODATED IN THEM ARE PERSONS WHO WILL HAVE BEEN FORMALLY DETERMINED TO BE REFUGEES BY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES AND WHO CONSEQUENTLY SHOULD BE TREATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED STANDARDS. SUCH STANDARDS INCLUDE THOSE CONTAINED IN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONCLUSION NO 22 ON THE PROTECTION OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN SITUATIONS OF LARGE-SCALE INFLUX.

12. PROVIDED THAT THE PROPOSED PROCEDURE CONFORMS TO THE BASIC SAFEGUARDS WHICH HAVE BEEN FORMULATED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST DECADES, IT IS UNHCR'S VIEW THAT THOSE WHO ARE NOT GRANTED REFUGEE STATUS WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES. UNHCR NEVERTHELES REMAINS CONCERNED THAT THEY SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO HUMANE TREATMENT WHILE EFFORTS ARE BEING DEPLOYED WITH THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FOR THEIR ORDERLY AND SAFE RETURN OF THIS CATEGORY OF PERSONS FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN THE REGION.

13. FURTHERMORE, UNHCR NOTES THE STATEMENT BY THE BRITISH AUTHORITES THAT A CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE NEW POLICY WILL BE OBTENTION OF THE AGREEMENT OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNEMENT FOR THE PROMPT RETURN OF THESE PERSONS TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN UNDER SUITABLE SAFGUARDS. THIS IS IMPORTANT ALSO IN ORDER TO AVIOD PROTRACTED PERIODS OF STAY FOR THESE PERSONS IN CLOSED CAMPS WITH THE HUMAN SUFFERING THAT THIS ENTAILS; WHILE UNHCR WILL CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS TO OBTAIN SUCH AGREEMENT WITH THE ABOVE SAFEGURDS FORM THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES, IT TRUSTS THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL SPARE NO EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THE SAME OBJECTIVE. PARALLEL WITH THE ABOVE UNHCR SHALL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE RESETTLEMENT FOR REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG AND IN THIS EFFORT LOOKS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN SECURING ADDITIONAL PLACES.

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