TNAG-1422-FCO40-1905-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 59

OCMIAN 2208

CONFIDENTIAL

OO HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

1612152 DEC

GRS 525

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1990

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

2208

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MKK 243.12

RECEIVED IN REGITRY

17 DECIO85

DESK OF

INDEX

TRY

Tekan

OF 161215Z DECEMBER 85

INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA

475

MIPT:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: PROPOSED ACTION FOR ADDITIONAL

RESETTLEMENT

1.

VON ARNIM SAID THAT UNHCR'S UNDERSTANDING OF INDIVIDUAL

COUNTRIES' POSITIONS REGARDING HONG KONG WAS AS FOLLOWS:

NETHERLANDS: MIGHT OFFER 100 PLACES.

2.

3.

DENMARK AND SWEDEN: EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE FIRM FIGURE AT

RESETTLEMENT MEETING: POSSIBLY 50 EACH.

4.

NORWAY: UNHCR BELIEVE NORWAY MAY ANNOUNCE 50-100 PLACES

AT RESETTLEMENT MEETING (VON ARNIM SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN A

DIPLOMATIC ROW AMONG THE SCANDINAVIANS OVER THIS ISSUE: SWEDEN

AND DENMARK HAD CRITICISED NORWAY FOR BEING UNWILLING TO HELP

HONG KONG. AS A RESULT NORWAY WAS NOW MORE LIKELY TO RESPOND

POSITIVELY).

5.

FINLAND: POSSIBLY 60 (WHEN WE POINTED OUT THAT THE

FINNISH MFA HAD MENTIONED A FIGURE OF 80, MR VON ARNIM SAID THAT

THIS WOULD BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT WOULD MEAN FINLAND WOULD HAVE

TO ACCEPT FEWER REFUGEES FROM OTHER REGIONS).

6.

JAPAN: LIKELY TO ACCEPT 35 IN THEIR NEXT MISSION TO HONG

KONG (IT WAS AGREED THAT BOTH WE AND UNHCR SHOULD CONTINUE

TO PRESS THE JAPANESE TO DO MORE).

7.

GERMANY: VON ARNIM SAID UNHCR WERE NOT ON VERY GOOD

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