TNAG-1524-FCO40-2088-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 121

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OCMIAN 4874

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121130Z FEB

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TELNO 62

OF 121130Z FEBRUARY 86

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

(436) 243/2 (85).

YOUR TELNO 683 OF 1985: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:

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HKCK 243/

RECEIVED IN HEGISTRY

13 FEB 1986

DESK OFFICER INDEX

RESETTLEMENT

PA

Action Taken

FURTHER TO PARA 4(V) OF OUR TELNO 459 TO CANBERRA AND YOU, HONG KONG HAVE NOW AGREED TO RESETTLE IN HONG KONG UP TO 250 ETHNIC CHINESE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM CAMPS IN HONG KONG (AT A RATE OF ABOUT 20 MONTHLY). HONG KONG HAVE ALSO AGREED TO ESTABLISH A RASRO (SHIP RESCUE) TRANSIT CENTRE IN HONG KONG.

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WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INFORM THE CANADIANS OF THESE DECISIONS, 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

THIS AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE PROVED HARDEST TO RESETTLE ELSEWHERE. IS A VERY HELPFUL CONTRIBUTION BY HONG KONG TO RESOLVING THE PROBLEM OF 'HARD TO RESETTLE' REFUGEES IN THE REGION. YOU SHOULD

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