CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/8
414
001673 MDHIAN 5194
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO DESKBY 290800Z FCO
TELNO 357
OF 281608Z JUNE
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
1384
TOP COPY
YOUR TELNO 1636 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE BOAT-PEOPLE: FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
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1 UNHCR ARE AWARE OF HONG KONGS' REQUEST THAT UNHCR SHOULD MEET MORE OF THE COSTS ARISING FROM BOAT-PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. WE AWAIT DETAILS OF CURRENT POSITION AND ESTIMATED COSTS (PARAS 1 AND 2 OF TUR).
2. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PURSUING THIS ISSUE FORMALLY AT PRESENT. ANY DEMAND FOR INCREASED FUNDING WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY EXCOM, NOT UNHCR. SUCH A DEMAND COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR EXCOM PARTNERS, SUCH AS AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES WHO HAVE EXPRESSED AN UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG'S PREDICAMENT AND CHANGE IN POLICY, AS WELL AS FOR JAPAN (WHO HAS A SPECIAL CONCERN TO KEEP UNHCR EXPENDITURE UNDER TIGHT CONTROL) UNHCR PROGRAMME COSTS ARE LARGELY MET ON VOLUNTARY BASIS: MANY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE EARMARKED BY DONOR GOVERNMENTS. UNHCR FUNDING SITUATION AT 24 MAY 1988 INDICATES A SHORTFALL ON ASIA/OCEANIA (INCLUDING HONG KONG) GENERAL PROGRAMMES OF 25.9 MILLION US DOLLARS, OUT OF A TOTAL BUDGET FOR AREA OF 55.5 MILLION US DOLLARS. THERE IS, THEREFORE, NO GUARANTEE THAT UNHCR COULD ALLOCATE INCREASED FUNDS FOR HONG KONG.
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3. WITHOUT PROMPTING FROM US, BAYANDOR (UNHCR ASIA BUREAU) COMMENTED THAT HONG KONG'S POSITION WAS MARKEDLY DIFFERENT FROM THAILAND, BOTH ON ECONOMIC GROUNDS AND INTRODUCITON OF SCREENING. UNHCR CONSIDER THAT HONG KONG IS FINANCIALLY ABLE TO COVER CARE AND MAINTENANCE COSTS OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVALS. BAYANDOR REFERRED TO A DEEP ANGER WITHIN UNHCR ABOUT THE INAPPROPRIATE TIMING OF INTRODUCITON OF NEW POLICY AND CONVICTION AMONGST SENIOR OFFICIALS THAT UNHCR SHOULD NOT (NOT) ASSUME ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE SCREENED OUT (WHO, WE ARGUE, ARE OF NO CONCERN TO UNHCR).
VEREKER
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