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until some time after the Conference in September or October and the Governor agreed that by the end of October he would have a much better idea of the extent of the problem. Sir James Murray commented that as the refugee problem increased so would care and maintenance and there could be difficulty over the suggestion made by the Governor that UNHCR should pay up to the limitations on availability of finance. He suggested that an agreed statement on this point be drafted before the Governor left (see UKMIS Geneva telno 231 attached). Sir James Murray added added that it would be his understanding that the international community should bear all care and maintenance costs for refugees in Hong Kong and that if there were a short fall this could be discussed with the Hong Kong authorities.
8. Mr Cuenod asked if UNHCR could make a contribution to Hong Kong's housing programme for the permanent resettlement of refugees. The Governor emphasised that the housing programme was inadequate and that refugees would have to take their place in the queue. A contribution would, however, not be unwelcome although the problem was more the capacity of the building industry. The Governor was particularly worried that if there were a recession, the 370,000 Chinese immigrants arriving over the next two years and the Vietnamese refugees would be competing for scarce jobs with the local population. Mr Cuenod said that UNHCR would like to quote Hong Kong as an example of a regional country which had taken 14,000 refugees and was prepared to settle, with international assistance, another 10,000.
9.
In conclusion, it was agreed that a press release would be issued by the Governor at the end of the discussions (to which with slight modifications Mr Hartling agreed see copy attached) and that a statement on the care and maintenance question be drawn up by both sides immediately after lunch.
27 June 1979
Distribution:
fr Cortazzi Ir D Murray
SEAD
MKGD
UND
Political Adviser, Govt Secretariat, HONG KONG
Chancery, UKLIS NEW YORK
Chancery, British Embassy, WASHINGTON
Chancery, British Embassy, HANOI
HE, UKIS, GENEVA
Head of Chancery, UKMIS, GENEVA Ir Snoxell, UKMIS, GENEVA
CONFIDENTIAL
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