TNAG-1543-FCO40-2107-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 113

2

Mr. Chairman, despite the efforts of the

International community, Hong Kong still has the largest Vietnamese refugee population in the region awaiting

4

resettlement; it has the largest number of long stayers; and it has the longest stayers. There are no signs that the level of arrivals will reduce markedly or that the refugee population in Hong Kong will reduce. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, resettlement is not enough... Although Hong Kong, like other places of first

asylum in the region, continues to rely on international burden sharing, we believe that other durable solutions must be explored. This must involve the

international community and the UNHCR.

Hong Kong is happy to continue to grant asylum to those leaving Vietnam in small boats. But we are finding that those whom we willingly accept as refugees are later determined by some resettlement countries

not to be refugees. This contradiction must be

resolved since it must otherwise strain the generous concept of first asylum and harm the credibility of resettlement

countries.

When he visited Hong Kong recently the High Commissioner expressed concern about the detrimental effects of the prolonged length of time that

refugees there were forced to await resettlement. The Hong Kong Government shares the High Commissioner's concern and, whereas it is attempting to ameliorate the

The stat Ter

situation (by providing more social and educational

it remains essented to find antage term

Mittag them to the programmes for refugees, the most effective solution

The problem. must be the development of policies and procedures which– speedily rectify the situation in which refugees find

themselves.

In 1979, Mr. Chairman, the international community

responded in a humane and compassionate manner to the

problem of the Vietnamese Boat people. But the solutions proposed then, and to which we

and to which we are still working,

need to be re-examined in 1986. As the High Commissioner said in his opening remarks during the General Debate,

/..