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4.
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YOU SHOULD STRESS 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, ESPECIALLY WHEN SEEN IN TERMS OF THE
SEVERE POPULATION PRESSURES IN HONG KONG. THE REFUGEES NOW 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 IT WILL OF COURSE
BECOME PUBLIC) IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DRAWING MORE
REFUGEES OUT OF VIETNAM TO HONG KONG.
5.
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
RESETTLING SHIP RESCUE CASES WITHIN THE 90-DAY PERIOD DEADLINE.
HONG KONG HAS AGREED TO ESTABLISH THE CENTRE DESPITE THE FACT
THAT BY DOING SO IT WILL, OF COURSE, HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE MORE
REFUGEES THAN AT PRESENT.
6.
YOU SHOULD REITERATE OUR AND HONG KONG'S GRATITUDE TO THE
NEW ZEALANDERS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION SO FAR TOWARDS RESOLVING
HONG KONG'S REFUGEE PROBLEM. WE HOPE THAT HONG KONG'S DECISION
TO RESETTLE A SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES FROM THE
CAMPS WILL ENCOURAGE THE NEW ZEALANDERS TO GIVE FAVOURABLE
CONSIDERATION TO A FURTHER OFFTAKE.
7.
(A)
(B)
THE FOLLOWING ARE DEFENSIVE POINTS:
ARRIVALS IN UK IN THE POST-SCORRI EXERCISE: 250 AS AT
END-APRIL, THEREAFTER 40 MONTHLY EXPECTED.
POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER UK OFFTAKE: TOO EARLY TO SAY.
HMG WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO ACCEPT A FURTHER LIMITED
NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, IN ADDITION
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