TOP COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 270
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HELSINKI.
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 222
OF 0507OOZ NOVEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG.
347) OUR TELNO 216: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
365
MKK zu 3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
06 NOV 1985
DESK OFFICEW
INDER
VECISTRY
Action Taken
1. ON 4 NOVEMBER HEAD OF CHANCERY CALLED ON ANTTI SEPPALA (V/C REFUGEE AFFAIRS, MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELFARE). SEPPALA CONFIRMED THAT THE NEW RECEPTION CENTRE WILL BE READY BY NEXT MARCH, AND SAID THAT FINLAND WOULD AIM TO TAKE THE MAJORITY OF THE FIRST YEAR'S QUOTA FROM VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG AND THE REMAINDER FROM AMONG VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN INDONESIA (WHERE A FINN IS WORKING WITH UNHCR). HE COULD NOT BE PRECISE AT THIS. JUNCTURE, BUT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AROUND 80 FROM KONG KONG AND AROUND 20 FROM INDONESIA.
2. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE THEY HAVE TAKEN SINCE 1979 HAVE INTEGRATED WELL, THE ONLY PROBLEM GROUP BEING YOUNG SINGLE MALES. HE MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD TAKEN HANDICAPPED REFUGEES IN THE PAST, BUT GAVE HEAD OF CHANCERY THE IMPRESSION THAT THE EMPHASIS THIS TIME WOULD BE ON YOUNG FAMILIES.
COMMENT
3. THE SIGNS ARE THUS VERY HELPFUL, PARTICULARLY SINCE, NOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT DECISION IN PRINCIPLE HAS BEEN TAKEN, IT IS THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELFARE'S, JOB TO IMPLEMENT IT. BUT WE OF
COURSE STAND READY TO HELP AT ANY TIME, PARTICULARLY IF AT SOME
STAGE IT IS ENVISAGED TO TRY TO PERSUADE THE FINNS TO TAKE A FEW MORE THAN 100. OUR IMPRESSION IS THAT SEPPALA HIMSELF WOULD BE WELL DISPOSED, BUT IN THAT CASE OTHER AGENCIES WOULD AGAIN BE INVOLVED, AND MIGHT WELL TAKE A DIFFERENT VIEW, GIVEN THE BASIC BACKGROUND (PARAGRAPH 1 OF OUR TUR).
BROOKE TURNER
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
COPIES TO".
MR
RAWSTHORNE
HOME OFFICE
UND
WED
DR WILSON,
LUNAR HOUSE.
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT
ADVANCED
CONFIDENTIAL
1)
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.