19. THE BURDEN THIS HAS IMPOSED ON HONG KONG'S
RESOURCES IS INTOLERABLE, PARTICULARLY AT A TIME OF SO
MANY OTHER PRESSURES. WE HAVE BEEN KEEN TO HELP HONG
KONG FREE ITSELF OF THIS BURDEN AS FAST AS POSSIBLE,
AND TO HELP IN MATERIAL AND PRACTICAL WAYS.
20. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE COMMITTED OVER £12 MILLION TO
HELP: £6 MILLION TOWARDS THE CAPITAL COSTS OF A NEW
REFUGEE CENTRE AT PILLAR POINT; £2 MILLION IN SUPPORT
OF UNHCR ́S ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG; AND £4.5 MILLION
FOR EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION, INCLUDING TENTS AND HUTS.
21.
WE HAVE PLAYED AN ACTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO PROMOTE HUMANE AND DURABLE
SOLUTIONS: MY RT HON AND LEARNED FRIEND AND I ATTENDED
THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
HELD IN GENEVA LAST WEEK, WHICH MARKS A VERY
SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD:
GENEROUS COMMITMENTS WERE MADE TO RESETTLE 57,000
REFUGEES FROM THE REGION OVER THREE YEARS. AS PART OF
THIS EFFORT, BRITAIN WILL TAKE A FURTHER 1,000 REFUGEES
FROM HONG KONG, IN ADDITION TO THE 1,000 WE ANNOUNCED
EARLIER THIS YEAR.
/- THE PHILIPPINES