HKFO 015/6
QDD 06090OZ F C O
GRS 350
RESTRICTED
DESK BY 060900Z
FM HONG KONG 060415Z MAR 85
TO IMMEDIATE F CO.
Reg pl.
IMMEDIATE ADVANCE COPY COD
TELEGRAM NUMBER 464 OF 6 MARCH
FOR LEEKS FROM WOODHOUSE
66
YOUR TELNO 349: VISIT TO GENEVA BY MR LUCE.
ask
Cazy this
Prix Cty to
RC is Geneva kis
HKD. SEAD
x2
75
WE THINK THAT THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IS THE DECISION BY CARITAS
TO WITHDRAW FROM JUBILEE. IN A LETTER, CARITAS CITED AS REASONS:
(A) THE POOR CONDITION OF JUBILEE: AND
(B) THE FACT THAT IT HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE REFUGEES WOULD BE RESETTLED MORE QUICKLY.
2. PRIVATELY, THERE IS GENERAL CONCENSUS HERE THAT THE FAMILY PLANN- ING PROBLEM, PUBLIC CRITICISM OF THE CENTRE AND PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES HAD JUST AS MUCH TO DO WITH THE DECISION,
3. IN OUR REPLY TO CARITAS, WE POINTED OUT THAT WE WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN NOW, IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT
(A) THE UNHCR HAD SPENT HK DOLLARS 1.5 MILLION ON IMPROVEMENTS TO JUBILEE, WHICH WERE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN A FEW MONTHS TIME: AND
(B) IN DECEMBER 1984 THE UNHCR HAD LAUNCHED A SPECIAL INITIATIVE REGARDING RESETTLEMENT FROM JUBILEE AND WE HAD YET TO SEE WHETHER IT WOULD SHOW ANY MEANINGFUL RESULTS.
4. THIS WAS MORE TO COUNTER THE REASONS GIVEN FOR WITHDRAWAL THAN TO SEEK A CHANGE OF HEART. IT DOES, HOWEVER, UNDERLINE THE FACT THAT REASONS OTHER THAN THOSE STATED WERE INVOLVED.
5. WE HAVE URGED UNHCR TO SEEK ANOTHER VOLUNTARY AGENCY FOR JUBILEE, EMPHASISING THAT THE UNHCR ITSELF MIGHT HAVE TO STEP IN IF IT DOESN'T SUCCEED IN FINDING A SUCCESSOR.
11
6. BECAUSE SIR CLIVE BOSSOM OF ISS WAS IN HONG KONG AND THIS AGENCY HAS EXPERIENCE OF REFUGEES HERE AND IS NON-SECTARIAN, WE THOUGHT THAT IT COULD BE A SUCCESSOR TO CARITAS. HOWEVER, THE UNHCR THINKS THAT IT IS TOO QUOTE POOR UNQUOTE. SIR CLIVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO HELP.
7. THE UNHCR TACTICS ARE TO TURN THE CRITICISM OF JUBILEE, WHICH
IS MAINLY FROM THE USA, BY SEEKING AMERICAN AGENCIES: HRS AND WORLD VISION. EACH IS QUOTE RICH UNQUOTE.
IRC
8. HOPE THAT THIS IS HELPFUL.
YOUDE