TNAG-1421-FCO40-1904-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 153

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17.10.85

B749

FOR: JEAFFRESON.

SECRETARY FOR SECURITY

FROM: WOODHOUSE, BRUSSELS OFFICE

(RPTD: NEW YORK, WASHINGTON, LONDON (PLEASE COPY TO LEEKS AT FCO),

GENEVA (PLEASE COPY TO ADAMS AT UKMIS))

EXCOM DISCUSSIONS: REPRESENTATIVE FROM FINLAND

1

I MET ANTTI SEPPALA, GOVERNMETN COUNSELLOR FROM THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND HEALTH, HELSINKI.

1.

2.

HE HAD SPOKEN SEPARATELY AT RECEPTIONS TO THE AMBASSADOR AND MYSELF AND HAD MADE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT STATEMENTS ABOUT 100 REFUGEES BEING ACCEPTED FROM HONG KONG. DISABLED CASES HAD BEEN MENTIONED.

HE SAID THAT FINLAND WOULD TAKE 100 REFUGEES FROM THE REGION (REGION), WITH THE MAJORITY COMING FROM HONG KONG. HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD HEADED A FINNISH DELEGATION TO HONG KONG LAST YEAR WHEN IT TOOK QUOTE A SMALL NUMBER UNQUOTE (OUR FIGURES ARE 57 IN 1983 AND 54 IN 1984). THE FINNS WERE BUILDING A NEW RECEPTION CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND, THEREFORE, HOPED TO TAKE MORE THIS YEAR. HE THOUGHT 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.

4.

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.

5.

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.

E.

WE MUST FOLLOW THIS UP. THE FINNS HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN A FEW MORE THAN THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD. I THING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN TOUCH IN HELSINKI WITH SEPPALA

IN GENEVA WITH UNHCR (TO MAKE

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SURE THAT THE CASES ARE SUBMITTED) IN HONG KONG WITH THE FINNISH C.G. AND THE UNHCR (TO MAKE SURE THAT AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF GOOD CASES ARE SUBMITTED).

1 7. FOR LEEKS: YOU MAY WISH TO COPY THIS TO HELSINKI.

CORRECTION PARA 6 LINE 2 READ I THINK. THANKS.

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