CONFIDENTIAL
242
1
(IV)
(V)
(VI)
2.
THAT THE BALANCE OF THE 100 WOULD COME FROM INDONESIA.
HE SAID THAT HE WOULD COME TO HONG KONG IN MARCH TO DO
THE SELECTION.
IN REPLY TO MY QUESTION ABOUT THE INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES IN FINLAND, HE SAID THAT, IN GENERAL, THERE HAD BEEN NO PROBLEMS. HE SAID THAT OPEN CENTRE REFUGEES WERE TOO
RICH AND HAD PLENTY OF MONEY WHEN THEY CAME TO HELSINKI. ON THE OTHER HAND, CLOSED CENTRE REFUGEES WERE MUCH LESS AFFLUENT AND, THEREFORE, WERE WILLING TO WORK MUCH
HARDER.
HE EXPLAINED THAT HE WOULD ASK THE UNHCR TO PRESENT CASES TO HIM FOR PRE-SCREENING AND SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEW IN HONG KONG. HE WAS INTERESTED IN HANDICAPPED REFUGEES AND
YOUNG FAMILIES. I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD VERY FEW
PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED REFUGEES LEFT IN HONG KONG AND SO
EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THOSE WHO HAD BEEN IN AN OPEN
CENTRE FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS WERE SOCIALLY HANDICAPPED. HE AGREED BUT SAID THAT HE WOULD PREFER BETTER EDUCATED
REFUGEES. HE WAS PREPARED TO TAKE EITHER NORTHERNERS OR
SOUTHERNERS.
WE MUST FOLLOW THIS UP. THE FINNS HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN A
FEW MORE THAN THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN TOUCH IN HELSINKI WITH SEPPALA, IN GENEVA WITH UNHCR (TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CASES ARE SUBMITTED), IN HONG KONG WITH THE FINNISH CONSULATE GENERAL AND THE UNHCR (TO MAKE SURE THAT AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF GOOD CASES
ARE SUBMITTED).
ENDS.
GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE FINNS ON
THIS MATTER.
HOWE
OCMIAN 0242
NNNN
DISTRIBITION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
COPIES TO
MR RAWSTHORNE, HOME OFFICE,
LUNAR HOUSE
UND
WED
DR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL.
Page 120Page 121
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