4.
YEAR.
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IT IS TRUE THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN ARRIVALS THIS
AT THE END OF OCTOBER, 1900 REFUGEES HAD ARRIVED COMPARED
TO 950 DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN 1985. HMG IS NATURALLY CONCERNED
BY THE COINCIDENCE OF THIS DOUBLING IN THE NUMBER OF ARRIVALS
FOLLOWING ON HMG'S INITIATIVE IN TAKING 500 REFUGEES PLUS THE
RESPONSE OF THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. AS FAR AS WE CAN
TELL FROM QUESTIONING THESE ARRIVALS, THEY WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY
LURED INTO COMING TO HONG KONG BY THE INCREASE IN RESETTLEMENT IN
1986 AND IN PRACTICE THIS INCREASE HAS NOT BEEN THAT DRAMATIC
ANYWAY.
RATHER, THEY CAME HERE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS OF WHICH
THE MAIN ONE IS THE PROSPECT OF A BETTER ECONOMIC LIFE.
5.
WHEN IT ANNOUNCED ITS DECISION TO RELAX ITS FAMILY REUNION
CRITERIA IN RESPECT OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG, HMG UNDERTOOK TO
CONSIDER WHAT MORE IT MIGHT DO TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM IN
THE LIGHT OF OTHER COUNTRIES' RESPONSE TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS.
WE HAVE PUT IT TO HMG THAT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE RESPONDED GENEROUSLY.
6. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN PRESSING FOR AN APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE
WITH A VIEW TO OPENING UP DISCUSSIONS ON MEANS OF RETURNING THOSE
FOUND NOT TO BE REFUGEES TO VIETNAM. HMG RECOGNISES THAT
RESETTLEMENT CAN NO LONGER BE THE SOLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM AND
THE ISSUE NEEDS TO BE EXPLORED IN CONSULTATION WITH OTHER INTERESTED
PARTIES INCLUDING UNHCR.
7。 MEANWHILE WE HAVE PASSED ON THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY
HONOURABLE MEMBERS TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
AKERS-JONES
HMLNAN 5214
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