TNAG-1421-FCO40-1904-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 191

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MEGISTRY Action Tun 1917

16 OCTOBER 1983

FOR GEORGE HO FROM GENEVA (WOO)

(HKG representative)

FOLLOWING FOR JEAFFRESON, S FOR S FROM WOODHOUSE LIN GENEVA (RPTD. HKGO IN BRU, WAS, NY AND LDN (COPY FOR LEEKS IN FCO) AND C.C. ADAMS IN UKMIS GENEVA)

CONFIDENTIAL

Executive Committee theeling of UNHCR, Geneva

(EXCOM) DISCUSSIONS: SWEDISH AND DUTCH REPRESENTATIVES

BECAUSE THEY HAD SOUGHT AN APPROACH FROM THE UNHCR RATHER THAN DIRECTLY FROM HONG KONG, I ARRANGED TO LUNCH WITH MARIE SJOLANDER, FIRST SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CO- OPERATION IN THE SWEDISH MINISTRY OF LABOUR (WHICH DEALS WITH REFUGEES) AND MICHIEL DEN HOND, DEPUTY HEAD IN THE ASYLUM SECTION OF THE DUTCH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. (SJOLANDER IS FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, BUT IS SECONDED TO THE LABOUR MINISTRY.) WE WERE ACCOMPANIED BY KLAUS FELDMAN, CHIEF OF THE UNHCR REBETTLEMENT SECTION AND ROBERT COOPER WHO WORKS FOR HIM.

2. THE DUTCH FIND IT EXPENSIVE TO VISIT HONG KONG AND LAST YEAR PLANNED TO SEND A MISSION TO BOTH THAILAND AND HONG KONG BUT SETTLED ONLY FOR THE FORMER ON COST GROUNDS. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO HELP

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THE DUTCH HAVE A TRANSIT RESETTLEMENT CENTRE WHICH CAN DEAL WITH ABOUT 100 REFUGEES AT A TIME. THEY PLAN TO KEEP IT FULL TO MAKE ORIENTATION AND LANGUAGE COURSES MORE ECONOMICAL. THEY WILL BE UNABLE TO MAKE AN ONGOING COMMITMENT BUT COULD (COULD) TAKE, SAY, TWO LARGE (60 PLUS) OFFTAKES FROM HONG KONG IN ONE YEAR.

THERE WAS NO COMMITMENT HOWEVER.

4. THEY FEEL THAT A SPECIFIC APPROACH FROM THE UNHCR IS NECESSARY. IT SHOULD:

(A) SAY THAT HONG KONG SHOULD RECEIVE PRIORITY,

(B)

IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF REFUGEE THAT SHOULD BE RE- SETTLED AS PRECISELY AS POSSIBLE WITH NUMBERS (OPEN-CENTRE, LONG-STAYER FAMILY, SOUTH VIETNAMESE FOR EXAMPLE), AND

PRESS FOR A SPECIFIC TARGET NUMBER FROM HONG KONG.

(C)