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8. HARTLING SAID THAT IN MOST COUNTRIES OF ASYLUM, INCLUDING MALAYSIA, UNHCR EXPECTED GOVERNMENTS TO APPLY TO THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP) FOR FOOD COSTS. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE
POSSIBLE IN HONG KONG 'S CASE BECAUSE THE WFP WOULD CONSIDER THE
LATTER A DEPENDENT TERRITORY OF A DEVELOPED COUNTRY
AND THEREFORE INELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE. THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT IN MANY CONTEXTS, SUCH AS TRADE PREFERENCES, HONG KONG WAS CONSIDERED PART OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD. I HOPE EARLY CONSIDERATION
CAN BE GIVEN AS TO THE FEASIBILITY OF AN APPLICATION TO THE WFP AND ALSO OF THE UNHCR'S PROPOSAL OF RECOURSE TO THE EEC'S FOOD AID PROGRAMME.
9. ON UNHCR'S POINT VI ABOUT HELP FOR PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION IN RETURN FOR HONG KONG ACCEPTING MORE LOCAL RESETTLEMENT, THE GOVERNOR
SAID THERE WOULD BE RESENTMENT OF ANY APPARENT JUMPING OF
THE HOUSING QUEUE BY REFUGEES WHEN SO MANY HONG KONG CITIZENS
HAD FOR LONG LIVED IN POOR TEMPORARY LODGINGS, IF HONG KONG EVENTUALLY ACCEPTED MORE PEOPLE FOR RESETTLEMENT, HOUSING COULD BE PROVIDED BUT THOSE CONCERNED WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THEIR PLACE IN
THE QUEUE, A CONTRIBUTION IN THIS CONTEXT TO HONG KONG FINANCES WOULD
OF COURSE BE WELCOME.
10, HARTLING SAID HE WOULD GIVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO WHAT
THE GOVERNOR HAD PROPOSED ABOUT CARE AND MAINTENANCE, THE
GOVERNOR SAID THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF HIS EXECUTIVE
AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS HE WOULD HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT BURDENS
AND BENEFITS WERE FAIRLY SHARED IN THE SOUTH EAST ASIA REGION. IF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE THOUTH THAT INHUMANE BEHAVIOUR WAS
BEING REWARDED WITH MORE MONEY AND MORE RESETTLEMENT PLACES THERE
COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION IN HONG KONG WITH RIOTING OR WORSE. HARTLING CONCEDED THAT CRUEL ACTIONS SUCH AS THE REFUSAL TO ALLOW THE HAI HONG TO LAND HAD HITHERTO PRODUCED FAVOURABLE RESPONSES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, HE ALSO AGREED THAT
REWARDING INHUMANITY WAS QUITE UN ACCEPTABLE,
11. THE GOVERNOR MADE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE PRE-UN CONFERENCE POSITION ON WHICH THE LATEST UNHCR PROPOSAL HAD BEEN BASED AND THE POST-CONFERENCE POSITION WHEN IT WAS TO BE HOPED THAT
PLEDGES OF PLACES AND FINANCE WOULD BE DOUBLED.
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