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26.
The UNHCR Resettlement Section in Geneva handle the Nordic countries, the Netherlands and Switzerland direct whereas the other resettlement countries are handled initially through their branch offices. I enclose a piece of paper Robert Cooper gave me showing outstanding family link cases for the Nordic countries, the Netherlands and Switzerland in Hong Kong and in the other countries of first asylum in South East Asia. He drew my attention to the fact that Malaysia had more outstanding cases than Hong Kong (and Indonesia almost as many), but pointed out that priority was being given to the Hong Kong cases by UNHCR.
Comment
27. During my conversation with the three UNHCR officials, it was quite clear that the UNHCR office in Geneva are doing as much as they can for Hong Kong and consider that the responses they are getting from most governments are positive. However, I also got the impression that UNHCR consider that the UK Government have, for the time being, applied enough pressure on governments bilaterally and that it would be counter-productive to apply further pressure at least until after the January resettlement meeting (which may now be mid-January instead of early January). Those governments which have specific cases from UNHCR need time to consider them: other governments, particularly the Nordics and the Netherlands, have made it quite clear to UNHCR that they can take no action without first being approached by UNHCR with specific cases or suggestions: the implication being that they cannot act solely as a result of discussions with the UK Government. As a corollary to this I would suggest that we continue to work closely with the UNHCR and ensure that they submit cases to governments as appropriate, but we also need to take care that our bilateral pressure does not get out of step with UNHCR's efforts.
28.
Two other important points emerged from the meeting:
first, the increasing number of governments who are mentioning reciprocity to UNHCR. They are interested in seeing how the Hong Kong Government propose to contribute to the international effort following the UK's first step, in both local integration of some of the refugees and in setting up the RASRO transit centre. I have mentioned some specific examples of this interest in the country by country summary above.
29. The second point is that Klaus Feldmann told me that UNHCR are hesitant (at least for the time being) to push governments to declare quotas. To do this now may extract a lower quota than may possibly be forthcoming, say, at the end of January when the Hong Kong Government has taken a decision on the RASRO transit centre and also perhaps on local integration.
Yours sincerely,
Delia.
DJ Walker (Miss)
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