TNAG-1542-FCO40-2106-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 317

I

was

to

meet

you

and

discuss

in

Vietnamese

in

very happy

detail difficult aspects of the

refugee problem in Hong Kong. This discussion, and my meetings with His Excellency the Governor and the representatives of the major resettlement countries gave me a fuller understanding of the problem of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. My visit to Hong Kong and three other countries the region further convinced me of the need for a

reassessment of the comprehensive

entire

Indochinese refugee problem in the wider regional context and to search for new approaches to resolve the problem. I am equally convinced that until the international community manages to find new answers to the problem, the current policies must be maintained. Resettlement of Indochinese

refugees

Hong Kong, as well as other regional first asylum countries, must continue at

adequate level in order not to excessive burden on the first asylum countries.

an

from

The steps taken

place

by

an

I highly appreciate the efforts of the Government of Hong Kong and in particular, the Security Branch, to assist the Vietnamese who seek refuge

in the territory.

the

Government of Hong Kong this year to establish a RASRO Transit Centre in Hong Kong and to settle locally a number of Vietnamese refugees were very helpful. We look forward to continue working in close co-operation with your department in making

the local settlement

programme a success.

We