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OCMIAN 4867
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FM FCOLN TO CANBE
120945Z FEB
GRS 654
4KK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
13 FEB 1986
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
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coon Taken
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FM FCO
TO PRIORITY CANBERRA
TELNO 70
OF 120945Z FEBRUARY 86
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: RESETTLEMENT
1.
(A)
(B)
HONG KONG HAVE AGREED:
TO ABSORB IN HONG KONG UP TO 250 ETHNIC CHINESE
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM CAMPS IN HONG KONG (AT A RATE OF
ABOUT 20 MONTHLY).
TO ESTABLISH A RASRO (SHIP RESCUE) TRANSIT CENTRE IN HONG
KONG.
2.
IN VIEW OF THEIR INTEREST IN 'LOCAL INTEGRATION' (MISS
WALKER (UKMIS GENEVA)'S LETTER TO FCO OF 20 DECEMBER) WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INFORM THE AUSTRALIANS STRESSING THAT
THE ABSORPTION OF FURTHER REFUGEES IS A COURAGEOUS MEASURE BY
HONG KONG GIVEN THEIR DIFFICULTIES IN BEING SEEN TO GIVE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES A BETTER DEAL THAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA, MANY OF WHOM HAVE FAR CLOSER FAMILY AND CULTURAL TIES WITH HONG KONG. THE FIGURE OF 250, WHICH IS ON TOP OF THE 14500 DISPLACED INDO-CHINESE THAT HONG KONG HAVE ALSO ABSORBED, IS HIGH COMPARED WITH THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLLY 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
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