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WITH HONG KONG. THE FIGURE OF 250, WHICH IS ON TOP OF THE 14500 DISPLACED INDO-CHINESE THAT HONG KONG HAVE ALREADY ABSORBED, IS
HIGH COMPARED WITH THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY WHEN SEEN IN TERMS OF THE SEVERE POPULATION PRESSURES IN HONG KONG. THE REFUGEES BEING RESETTLED WILL BE DRAWN FROM THE LONGEST STAYERS (OVER 6 YEARS) IN THE HONG KONG CAMPS, AND WILL THUS BE AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE PROVED HARDEST TO RESETTLE ELSEWHERE. THIS IS A VERY HELPFUL CONTRIBUTION BY HONG KONG TO RESOLVING THE PROBLEM OF HARD TO RESETTLE' REFUGEES IN THE REGION, YOU SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT NO PUBLICITY WILL BE INITIATED BY HKG (ALTHOUGH THE DECISION WILL OF COURSE BECOME PUBLIC) IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DRAWING MORE REFUGEES
OUT OF VIETNAM TO HONG KONG.
3.
ON THE RASRO TRANSIT CENTRE YOU SHOULD SAY THAT HONG KONG'S AGREEMENT TO ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN HONG KONG REPRESENTS AN EFFORT TO EASE THE PROBLEMS FACED BY RASRO PARTICIPANTS IN
HONG RESETTLING SHIP RESCUE CASES WITHIN THE 90-DAY DEADLINE. KONG HAS AGREED TO ESTABLISH THE CENTRE ALTHOUGH BY DOING SO IT WILL, OF COURSE, HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE MORE REFUGEES THAN AT
PRESENT.
4.
YOU SHOULD REITERATE OUR GRATITUDE FOR THE POSITIVE ROLE
PLAYED BY UNHCR AND FOR THE EFFORTS BY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TOWARDS RESOLVING HONG KONG'S REFUGEE PROBLEMS. WE HOPE THAT HONG KONG'S DECISION TO RESETTLE A SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES FROM THE CAMPS WILL ENCOURAGE THESE COUNTRIES TO GIVE FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION TO INCREASING THEIR OFFTAKE FURTHER, AND THAT UNHCR WILL APPROACH THEM TO THIS END. YOU SHOULD STRESS TO UNHCR THAT HONG KONG'S DECISION GIVES UNHCR AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL USE, TO PRESS HONG KONG'S CASE WITH RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES: PARTICULARLY WITH THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD WELCOME FURTHER APPROACHES FROM UNHCR ON THIS ISSUE: NETHERLANDS,
NORWAY, SWEDEN AND DENMARK.
5.
GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD ALSO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT UNHCR IS OR SHOULD ALREADY BE MAKING WITH VARIOUS RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRESENT
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