TNAG-1524-FCO40-2088-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 130

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3. ALTHOUGH THE PROPOSAL TO ACCEPT ETHNIC CHINESE FOR RESETTLEMENT

IN HONG KONG WILL NOT BE KEPT SECRET, NO PUBLICITY WILL BE

INITIATED IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ATTRACTING MORE REFUGEES

FROM VIETNAM. IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON

THE FACT THAT THOSE SELECTED DO NOT (NOT) MEET THE RESETTLEMENT

CRITERIA OF OTHER COUNTRIES AND ARE LONG STAYERS. AMONG THE FIRST

TO BE CONSIDERED WILL BE THE 1500 IN KAI TAK WHO HAVE BEEN HERE

SINCE 1979.

4. AS REGARDS XCC(86)23, EXCO ADVISED THAT, IN PRINCIPLE, A RASRO

TRANSIT CENTRE AS DESCRIBED IN THE MEMORANDUM SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED

IN HONG KONG AND NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD BE OPENED WITH UNHCR ON THE

DETAILS WITH A VIEW TO SEEKING AGREEMENT REACHED.

5. WE SHALL CONSIDER, IN DETAIL, THE PROCEDURES TO BE ADOPTED FOR

RESETTLING ETHNIC CHINESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. IT IS NOT CERTAIN

HOW LONG THIS WILL TAKE, BUT WE HOPE TO BE IN A POSITION TO BEGIN

RESETTLEMENT IN APRIL.

6. NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE UNHCR ON THE RASRO TRANSIT CENTRE WILL

BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AND, SUBJECT TO THE ARRANGEMENTS BEING AGREED,

IT IWLL COME INTO OPERATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

HOWE

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