1207
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243/1
ні білковый
a 2776
Mr Simons SEAD
UK CONTRIBUTION TO THE FUNDS OF THE UNHCR
1. Please refer to PS/Mr Blaker's minute to you of 25 June.
2. There is no possibility of the UK's recovering its contribution to Community food aid; under the 1971 Food Aid Convention the Community has an international obligation to provide a fixed global total of food aid. However, it may be possible to divert food aid allocated to Vietnam to another recipient eg the refugees cared for by the UNHCR. The UK is now exploring this possibility with the French Presidency and the Commission (Mr FitzHerbert's submission of 22 June copied to PS/Mr Blaker and PS/Mr Marten refers).
3. We hope that it may be possible to secure the agreement of other inember states and the Commission to the diversion to the refugees of A minimum a large proportion of the food aid allocated to Vietnam.
target would be half the cereals. These were due to be delivered in two stages
hence the reference to the second tranche.
4.
There is no need to consult the Treasury about diverting Community food aid in
this way.
UK expenditure is not affected
either way.
25 June 1979
cc:
PS/Lord Privy Seal
PS/Mr Blaker
PS/Mr Marten
Mr Murray
HKGD
UND
ARThrowou
AR Thomas
European Integration Department (External)
CONFIDENTIAL