TNAG-1277-FCO40-1627-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 49

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10.

The Sub-Committees on Protection and Administrative and Financial Matters each met for two days in the week preceding the Session.

11. Like 30 other member delegations, the UK Delegation was as usual led by the Permanent Representative in Geneva.

As last year it included a Hong Kong representative, Mr P J Williamson as well as officials from the Foreign Office, the Home Office, ODA and UKMis Geneva. The Hong Kong presence was again of great value. Mr Williamson was able to make contacts with many immigration and refugee officials of resettlement countries. Other delegations now expect an approach on resettlement from Hong Kong during ExCom and are briefed to respond to it. As long as Hong Kong's refugee problems persist it will be worth considering direct representation at ExCom.

Election of Offices (Item 2)

12. After the retiring Chairman, Ambassador Kharma of Lebanon, had opened the Session last year's Vice-Chairman, Ambassador Ewerlof of Sweden, was elected Chairman. The G77 nomination for Vice- Chairman was in doubt until the morning of the Session but finally

turned out to be Ambassador Fouad Mabazaa of Tunisia. Miss Erika Feller (Australian Mission, Geneva) was elected

Rapporteur.

Agenda (Item 3)

13. The annotated agenda (Annex II) was adopted. There were three new items this year; Item 5 "Action taken on decisions by the ExCom" arose from an initiative of Turkey last year; Item 7 "Conclusions of the meeting of experts on refugee aid and development" followed a Swedish suggestion; Item 8 "UNHCR's role in promoting durable solutions", requested by Australia at the 33rd Session.

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