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7. We concentrate UK refugee relief aid resources on UNHCR programmes. UK was the fourth largest contributor to UNHCR in 1985, the second largest in the Twelve. Have contributed £11.97 million so far in 1986, £6.30 million to the General Programmes, £5.2m to Africa emergency programmes and £0.47 million to Special Programmes elsewhere. We strongly support UNHCR's general aim of finding the best durable solutions to the complex and large-scale refugee problems around the world. There are, however, constraints on UK aid resources and on the numbers of refugees who can satisfactorily be accepted into the UK for resettlement from countries of first asylum, which prevent us from doing all that UNCHR would like of us.
8.
In general we consider UNHCR a good example of the way in which international humanitarian organisations should function. We are glad to have established effective and cordial working relations. It is important that UNHCR should observe the highest standards of financial management in its headquarters and field operations.
9. We attach importance to the basic international refugee instruments (the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol) which 101 countries have now ratified.
10.
EXCOM provides a good opportunity to thank UNHCR and those resettlement countries which responded to our appeal for increased resettlement for refugees from Hong Kong; at the same time it should be pointed out that with increased arrivals the problem remains and more resettlement offers are needed. It is however important that the delegation should be seen to take a broad view of refugee issues and not appear to be solely preoccupied with issues related to Hong Kong.
12. We should also take the opportunity of the EXCOM Meeting to approach members of the Honolulu Group with a view to ascertaining their latest thinking on refugees and South East Asia and obtaining UK membership of the Group.
U57AAN
CONFIDENTIAL
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