TNAG-1392-FCO40-1864-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-for-meetings-and-visits-1985 — Page 217

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(c) Regional Integration

UNHCR prefer this to more

distant

resettlement.

But Hong Kong's

neighbours have refugee problems of their own and would not welcome

any additional burden. Thailand, which has absorbed

has ruled out the possibility of absorbing any more.

some refugees,

(d) Increased Resettlement

We should continue to encourage other resettlement countries, both

directly and through UNHCR, to take more. But, for the reasons in

para 11 above, we shall have difficulty. There are three possible

options which might be considered:

to take more are unlikely to

(i) The UK might take a further quota.

Our efforts to persuade other countries

be effective until we can show that we are willing to take more

evidence that they are looking to the UK

ourselves.

is

There is

for a gesture. (The present SCORRI enquiry into Vietnamese refugees

addressing this question.) Clearly a prerequisite for any

successful campaign to increase off take elsewhere

admit more refugees here, preferably on a continuing quota.

is

agreement to

(ii) Training schemes

UNHCR consider that resettlement prospects would improve if refugees

acquired the skills needed to work in industrialised societies. The

Hong Kong Government have already devoted considerable attention and resources to providing training opportunities. They seek to provide

educational and vocational training, with emphasis on English, in

all the government-run refugee centres. The voluntary agencies run

similar programmes in the open centres. In the Hei Ling Chau closed

centre, which is for North Vietnamese and where as a result the

resettlement rate is lowest and potential integration problems. are

Hong Kong Government intends with UNHCR assistance to provide a special multi-purpose training centre. It will be funded

by UNHCR (total

(total cost US$40,000) and will be run by the World Relief

voluntary

should be operational by mid-1985.

greater,

purpose

the

agency.

It

prepare

Vietnamese refugees for

will be to

resettlement by teaching them basic manufacturing skills and

It s

overseas

use of

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