TNAG-1790-FCO40-2550-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1988 — Page 175

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175343

MDLIAN 5883

MEASURES (SHORT OF PUSH-OFFS) TO DETER ARRIVALS OF BOAT PEOPLE FROM

VIETNAM MANY OF WHOM SHE THOUGHT WOULD BE UNRESETTLABLE.

6. ON THE QUESTION OF MORE UNHCR FUNDING ASSISTANCE FOR THE CARE

AND MAINTENANCE OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG MISS WENSLEY AGREED THAT

HONG KONG'S POSITION WAS SOMEWHAT ANOMALOUS, BUT CONSIDERED THAT AUSTRALIA'S CURRENT BUDGETARY POSITION WOULD MILITATE AGAINST ANY

INCREASE IN AUSTRALIA'S CONTRIBUTION TO UNHCR OR INDEED TO ANY

MULTILATERAL AGENCY.

7. IN AN ASIDE REFERRING TO REMARKS REPORTEDLY MADE RECENTLY BY

MRS FAN ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BODIES AND RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES FAILING

TO DO ENOUGH TO HELP HONG KONG, MISS WENSLEY SAID HER GOVERNMENT HAD REASON TO FEEL AGGRIEVED AT SUCH STATEMENTS IN VIEW

OF THE CONTRIBUTION AUSTRALIA HAD MADE IN RESETTLING INDO-CHINESE

REFUGEES GENERALLY AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. BARNES

RESPONDED BY ASSURING HER THAT AUSTRALIA'S CONTRIBUTIONS IN THIS REGARD WERE NOT UNDERVALUED. MRS FAN'S REMARKS HAD BEEN TAKEN SOMEWHAT OUT OF CONTEXT AS THEY WERE DIRECTED PRIMARILY AT THE

UNHCR AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE WHICH WAS UNABLE

OR UNWILLING TO PROVIDE THE RESETTLEMENT OR FINANCIAL WHICH HONG

KONG NOW REQUIRED.

WILSON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

121

ΜΑΙΝ

118

.VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK

ECD (E)

LIMITED

SPD

HKD

FED

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

WED

SED

PUSD

E CD (I)

NEWS

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS MR EGGAR

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR SLATER

MR MCLAREN

2

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