TNAG-1536-FCO40-2100-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 58

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DES

INDEX

JU.

MARY

19 JUN 1986

aken

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GRS 500

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1676

OF 02072OZ JUNE 86

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA

Rolpa

Арвида

KK 23

YOUR TELNO 1007: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : UNHCR MEETING.

RASKO

SS

Veillement inte ROSPEC Resettlement in HIC

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AS REGARDS PARA 1 (B) OF YOUR TUR, WE HAVE SOUGHT PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR SETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG FROM THE UNHCR, EN MARCH AND APRIL THE UNHCR PROVIDED A LIST OF 52 REFUGEES. THE BROTHER OF ONE REFUGEE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADDED MAKING A TOTAL OF 53. OUT OF THESE WE FOUND THAT 33 MET OUR CRITERIA FOR SETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG (ETHNIC CHINESE, LONG STAYER, FINANCIALLY SELFSUFFICIENT). THESE 33 NOW HAVE BEEN SETTLED IN HONG KONG. WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON THEM TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING GOES WELL, BUT WE EXPECT FEW

PROBLEMS.

2.

THE REMAINING 20 WHOM WE DID NOT ACCEPT FOR SETTLEMENT HAVE BEEN PUT TO ONE SIDE, RATHER THAN REJECTED AT THIS STAGE. THE REASONS FOR NOT ACCEPTING THEM ARE THAT SOME ADMIST OPENLY THAT THEY ARE ETHNIC VIETNAMESE (DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE UNHCR KNOW OF OUR CRITERIIA), AND SOME ARE UNABLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. WE HAVE BEEN QUITE LIBERAL OVER THE LENGTH OF STAY OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENTED BY THE UNHCR. SOME 1980, 1981 AND 1982 CASES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AND ACCEPTED.

B. FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS THE UNHCR HAS BEEN ENCOUNTERING DIFFICULTIES UN TARGETTING ON THE 1500 WHO HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 1979 AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE 350 REFUGEES WHO ARE LAWING OUTSIDE KAMI TAK. WE ALL AGREE THAT THIS LATTER CATEGORY COULD PROVE THE

MOST FRUMITFUL.

4. NO (NO) CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE UNHCR HIN MAY, WE HAVE PRESSED THEM TO TRY HARDER AND THEY HAVE ASSURED US THAT THEY AND GENEVA TREAT THIS MATTER VERY SERIOUSLY. HONG KONG IS THE ONLY PLACE IN THE REGION TO HAVE ADOPTED ONE OF THE UNHCR'S ''DURABLE'' SOLUTIONS. THEY POINT OUT THAT IT IS AN THE UNHCR'S #INTEREST TO MAKE THIS SCHEME WORK WE HOPE THAT ONCE THE UNHCR GETS A LITTLE MORE ORGANISED THINGS WILL PROCEED IN A BETTER FASHION.

5. AS REGARDS PARA 1 (C) OF YOUR TUR, THE RASRO TRANSIT CENTRE #S NOW OFFICIALLY IN OPERATION, WE HAVE CONFIRMED TO THE UNHCR THAT SHAMP RESCUE CASES CAN BEGIN TO BE TRANSFERRED ACCORDING TO THE AGREED PROCEDURES. SO FAR NO (NO) REFUGEES HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE RASRO TRANSMIT CENTRE HIN HONG KONG.

6. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO SEE THE UK REPRESENTATHNES STATEMENT THE INFORMAL EXCOM BEFOREHAND. GRATEFUL #F UKMIS GENEVA COULD LET US HAVE A COPY OF THE STATEMENT DESKBY 1008307

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