TNAG-1795-FCO40-2555-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 19

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MAKE THE FIRST DETERMINATIONS BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, WHEN THE SEGREGATION ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN PLACE. HOWEVER, WE FEEL THAT WE CANNOT TAKE THIS STEP UNTIL THE UNHCR ARE COMMITTED TO

PARTICIPATING AND ARE READY TO UNDERTAKE WHAT WILL PROBABLY BE A

SCREENED OUT HAVE 14 DAYS TO GIVE NOTICE

OF THEIR INTENTION TO APPEAL AND THE UNHCR WILL HAVE TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE

HEAVY CASELOAD. THOSE

TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR ADVICE.

NEW REFUGEE CAMPS AT TUEN MUN (AREA 46A)

5. WE ARE STILL CONSIDERING WITH THE UNHCR THE BEST DESIGN FOR THIS CAMP. THEY FAVOUR A QUICK BUILD, LOW DENSITY DESIGN WHEREAS OUR CONCERN IS TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE SITE. WE ARE UNLIKELY TO GET FURTHER SITES FOR REFUGEE CAMPS AND SO WE FEEL OBLIGED TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE SITE WE HAVE. WE THINK THERE IS SCOPE FOR A COMPROMISE IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON THIS BUT THE TIMING OF THE WORKS PROGRAMME WILL BE DETERMINED BY AN APPROACH TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR FUNDS WHICH CANNOT NOW BE MADE UNTIL THE AUTUMN (LEGCO WILL BE IN RECESS FROM 25 AUGUST).

6. THE UNHCR HAVE AGREED TO MEET ALL OF THE COST OF RUNNING THE NEW OPEN CAMP AND HAVE AGREED TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE CAPITAL COSTS ON THE BASIS OF AN APPEAL TO DONOR

COUNTRIES. ALTHOUGH THEY CANNOT BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE AMOUNT WHICH MIGHT BE AVAILABLE WE ARE MINDED TO PRESS AHEAD ON THIS BASIS.

LIBERALISATION

7. WE SAID WHEN THE NEW POLICY WAS ANNOUNCED IN JUNE THAT WE WOULD BE WORKING TO START THE LIBERALISATION PROCESS WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR I.E. THE FIRST HALF OF 1989. THE UNHCR HAVE BEEN PRESSING FOR A TIMETABLE AND ARE CONCERNED TO ENSURE THAT THE

AVAILABILITY OF A NEW CAMP AT TUEN MUN WILL NOT DETERMINE THE TIMETABLE. OUR LINE IS THAT LIBERALISATION MUST BE A GRADUAL PROCESS AND THAT THE PACE AND THE EXTENT WILL BE DICTATED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF INDIVIDUAL CAMPS. WE HAVE TOLD THE UNHCR THAT THE TUEN MUN PROJECT WILL NOT DETERMINE THE PACE BUT IT PROBABLY WILL

DETERMINE THE TIMING OF THE END OF THE PROCESS.

8. WE ARE IN FACT NOW READY TO MAKE A CAUTIOUS START ON LIBERALISATION. WE SHALL BE ASKING THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON 23 AUGUST TO APPROVE A PLAN TO ALLOW CHILDREN FROM THE CLOSED CAMPS (SAN YICK AND SHAM SHUI PO) TO LEAVE THE CAMPS FOR SCHOOLING. WE ARE ALSO PREPARED TO RECOMMEND THAT VIETNAMESE TEACHERS BE RELEASED TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS HELPING

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