FA 245/40
Reference
:
Mr Kydd Mexico & Caribbean Department K 366)
HKCK 24315
KLEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
INDEX
27 AUG 1980
DEFICEN
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1.
TRY
No 218 Takem &
√278
Mo Willeming
I sergygut re
tophere x
наз
free was they react.
226/2.
Your minute (of 1 July and Mr Morrice's minute of 24 July to Mr Flower (rot to all) refer. I am sorry that it has taken so long to establish the facts on this confused topic with any degree of confidence. After multiple inquiries of UNHCR in Geneva, the position at present appears to be as follows.
2.
UNHCR Headquarters have taken their investigation of the problem surrounding the settlement of 1000 Vietnamese in Belize as far as a preliminary consultation with Booker Agricultural International Ltd, a well-known British firm of agricultural project consultants, who have estimated the overall cost of settling them at of the order of £100,000, to which would have to be added a consultancy fee (for setting up the necessary inputs, etc) of another £40,000. At desk level, UNHCR do not consider that this represents value for money within their general budget (assuming 200 families, £700 per family), and there are no special sources of funds to which they can turn. The advice of UKMIS Geneva is that we should expect UNHCR to maintain this view at a higher level: the special 'Durable Solutions' Fund which might have provided for such projects exists only on paper at present.
3.
Transport costs (paragraph 3 of your minute) are not a problem: they would normally be met indirectly by UNHCR through ICEM (the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration) with the refugees expected in due course to repay as much of the costs as they could.
4.
Paragraphs 2 and 3 above could provide the substance of a follow-up letter from Lord Trefgarne to Baroness Vickers, and of a reply to the Hong Kong Commissioner's letter of 23 July.
5.
Although the sum of money concerned is significant, M&CD and HK&GD might like to consider whether it might be found from ODA or Hong Kong Government Funds. UND might also like to consider with ODA whether some funds might be earmarked for this project from within their contributions to refugee financing.
Justin
1
TCS Stitt
22 August 1980
South-East Asian Department
cc: Mr Morrice (Hong Kong & General Department K 247)
Mrs Anderson (United Nations Department K 149) Mr Waterton (Defence Department E 321) PS/Lord Trefgarne (W 39)
PS/Mr Ridley (W 57)
Mr Snoxell (UKMIS Geneva)