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ways of increasing resettlement within South East Asia. France did not attend. UK received last minute invitation; too late to arrange for a suitable representative to attend. Moreover, our present role as representative of place of first asylum (Hong Kong) rather than
resettlement state made it inappropriate for us to do so. Although
participants were reported to have concluded that major resettlement
states should maintain current high rates of resettlement over next 18-24 months, little of real substance appears to have been achieved, at least
least from Hong Kong's point of view. There was no oticeable increase in resettlement from Hong Kong as a result of
the conference.
12. The idea of a follow-up meeting to the Honolulu Conference has
been proposed at various intervals, and informal meetings between resettlement countries have indeed been held, eg in the margins of the 1983 UNHCR Executive Committee Meeting in Geneva (this was attended by the UK). But to date no further conference has
materialised. Difficult for the UK to take the initiative in
calling a conference since we are not in a position ourselves to offer any additional resettlement places for refugees from Hong
Kong. As our Memorandum makes clear, this position is not easily understood by other countries, who regard the UK as primarily responsible for Hong Kong.
BILATERAL CONTACTS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS
13. We and the Hong Kong Government take every opportunity we can, at ministerial and official level to remind other governments of the need for increased resettlement from Hong Kong and we shall continue to do so. [Tist of contacts to be
the Committee]
handed
in confidence to
14. Repercussions DTC's if a further quota of refugees was taken from
Hong Kong
BDTC's are well aware that they do not have right of abode in the
UK.
The Hong Kong greement makes no difference to their position
However it be fully protects
in this respect. # If anything [reinforces their right to reside in
Hong Kong. The Vietnamese on the other hand have no such right in respect of any country do not think there is any evidence at all
(14) Rivers to suggest that there would repercussions BDTC's in Hong Kong if
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