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WOULD BE A PROBLEM AND MADE THE FAIR COMMENT THAT UNLESS THE UNHCR HAD A REPRESENTATIVE HERE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO PRESS GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES THAN THOSE THEY HAD ALREADY AGREED TO ACCEPT.
4. KADRY BROUGHT UP THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE UNHCR MIGHT HELP US WITH THE COST OF CARING FOR THE REFUGEES WHILE THEY WERE IN HONG KONG. THIS WAS THE SUBJECT OF A QUESTION IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 4 JUNE. WE UNDERSTOOD FROM KADRY THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF SIMILAR ASSISTANCE BEING GIVEN TO THE GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE IN LOOKING AFTER THE REFUGEES NOW ON ST JOHN'S ISLAND. THE DISCUSSION WAS INCONCLUSIVE ON THIS POINT.
5. KADRY SHOWED HIMSELF FULLY AWARE OF POSSIBLE CHINESE SENSITIVITY TO A UNHCR PRESENCE IN HONG KONG AND SAID IN CONFIDENCE THAT THE HIGH COMMISSIONER WAS IN CONTACT WITH CHINA OVER THE ISSUE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ALTHOUGH THE PARTICULAR QUESTION OF HONG KONG HAD NOT BEEN BROACHED.
6. IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO TAKE 170 REFUGEES DIRECTLY FROM HONG KONG AND THEIR TEAMS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN INTERVIEWING PROSPECTIVE IMMIGRANTS IN THE CAMPS. THE NEED FOR A HIGH LEVEL APPROACH TO THE AUSTRALIANS ON THIS ISSUE (YOUR TELEGRAM NO 417 TO CANBERRA) THEREFORE SEEMS TO HAVE RECEDED FOR THE TIME BEING. BUT IF THERE IS A UNHCR PRESENCE IN HONG KONG IT MAY WELL PROVE EASIER TO PRESS THE AUSTRALIANS TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES IN
FUTURE.
7. F C O PLEASE REPEAT TO OTHER POSTS IF REQUIRED.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
MR WILFORD
COPIES TO:
DISASTER UNIT ODM
MR MALE
HKIOD
SEAD
UND
MVD
MR HAWLEY
MR CAMPBELL
SWPD
MR WEIR
FED
NAD
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
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