TNAG-1530-FCO40-2094-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1986 — Page 138

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My

first

visit

as United

Nations

High

Commissioner for Refugees to Hong Kong and three

in the region gave me

not only to

other

countries

opportunity

knowledge

of

the current

an

gain a first hand

refugee situation in

these countries, but also to assess the long-term

and implication problem which is a

for

appreciated

the

prospects

resolving

common concern for us all.

opportunity

the

I

I

had

especially during our meeting to benefit from your views on I also had an

different

Hong Kong's refugee situation.

and exhaustive discussion ол open aspects of the Hong Kong refugee problem with Mr. Gordon Mortimer,

Mortimer, Acting Secretary for Security, and his colleague, Mr. Ken Woodhouse.

My visit to the four countries convinced me

that

our

search for

a

solution

to

refugee problem

perspective.

Indochinese

must be in the wider regional

that I hope

in the coming months

the

all the concerned governments and UNHCR will have the chance to consider new approaches

responding

the to

problem refugee

for

that the

South-East Asia region has been facing since the

mid-1970's.

While

search this

continues,

the

current

policies, especially

must resettlement,

be

maintained. As regards Hong Kong,

a favourable

decision by the Government of the United Kingdom

to continue

the

of resettlement

Vietnamese