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£6 million towards capital costs of a new refugee centre at Pillar Point.
£2 million in support of UNHCR's operation in Hong Kong and over £4 million for emergency accommodation, including tents and huts.
Have also announced our readiness to contribute £5 million towards costs of Regional Processing Centre to which all refugees from Hong Kong and region could be transferred quickly while they await resettlement.
On resettlement front, have undertaken this year to accept 2,000 more refugees from Hong Kong over next 3 years.
At Geneva Conference made clear in plain terms that without repatriation Hong Kong would simply be unable to maintain policy of first asylum indefinitely.
- Outcome of Conference on this point was not unhelpful. Secured general recognition of fact that all those boat people who do not qualify as refugees must find their future in Vietnam. Report of Select Committee on Foreign Affairs recognised that it is intolerable for those who do not qualify as refugees to have to spend years in camps.
- Good progress is now being made in our bilateral talks with Vietnamese on repatriation. Still have some way to go before we achieve a complete solution. But believe we have finally turned the corner on this issue.
BRITAIN'S RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG
As mark of importance we attach to Hong Kong, post of Senior British Trade Commissioner recently upgraded to Ambassadorial rank. Planning already in hand to establish large British Consulate-General in Hong Kong after 1997. Determined to maintain strong diplomatic, economic and cultural links with Hong Kong after 1997.
Cathay Pacific recently ordered ten A330 Airbus aircraft, with option to buy ten more. Total order would be worth £1.3 billion. Delivery to start in mid-1990's. This is an important measure of this British managed Company's confidence in, and commitment to, the future of Hong Kong.
Contact: Rosalind Marsden, HKD (270 2650)
August 1989
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