804
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FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 512
OF 14080OZ SEPTEMBER 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
688
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TOP COPY Q DIST ?
072177
MDHIAN 3516
HKD 243/8
OMS
HONG KONG TELNO 3419: VIETNAMESE BOAT-PEOPLE: HONG KONG
PARTICIPATION AT UNHCR EXCOM
1. RELEVANT AGENDA ITEM (REGIONAL ASSISTANCE) IS LIKELY TO BE
CONSIDERED BY EXCOM ON 5/6
OCTOBER.
2. WHILE WE WILL RAISE HONG KONG IN OUR INTERVENTION UNDER THIS
ITEM, THERE ARE GOOD REASONS FOR NOT HIGHLIGHTING THE ISSUE AT THIS SESSION. AS A RESULT OF MUCH HARD WORK IN HONG KONG, GENEVA AND ELSEWHERE WE HAVE MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS AND HAVE REACHED A SATISFACTORY MODUS VIVENDI WITH UNHCR, NOTABLY ON STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING (HONG KONG TELNO 3357) AND INCREASED UNHCR EXPENDITURE
IN HONG KONG AT A TIME WHEN UNHCR FUNDS ARE UNDER VERY HEAVY PRESSURE.
3. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE RECEIVED A BROAD MEASURE OF SUPPORT FROM OUR ICG PARTNERS FOR NEW POLICY IN HONG KONG, THERE ARE CONTINUING PRESSURES FROM COUNTRIES IN THE REGION TO MULTILATERALIZE THE ISSUE.
UNHCR WOULD ALSO PREFER A REGIONAL APPROACH HENCE ITS PARTICIPATION AT MEETING OF ASEAN WORKING GROUP AND ICG LOCAL
REPRESENTATIVES IN BANGKOK ON 16 SEPTEMBER. IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT WE
DO NOT WISH TO BE CONSTRAINED IN BILATERAL TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE BY ASEAN OR REGIONAL INITIATIVES. MOREOVER, SOME AFRICAN REPRESENTATIVES (EG. TANZANIA, WHO WILL BE CHAIRING THE EXCOM SESSION) HAVE ALREADY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE DISPARITY BETWEEN UNHCR EXPENDITURE PER HEAD IN ASIA AND IN AFRICA. IF THE PROBLEMS OF HONG KONG ARE GIVEN TOO HIGH A PROFILE, WE CAND UNHCR) MAY RISK CRITICISM OR UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONING ON WHAT UNHCR HAS ALREADY DONE AND PUT
AT RISK THE PROGRESS ALREADY ACHIEVED.
4. TAKING ACCOUNT OF THESE ARGUMENTS AND OF HONG KONG'S TIGHT RESOURSES (PARA 6 OF TUR) I RECOMMEND THAT ANY UK STATEMENT ON HONG KONG SHOULD BE MADE BY ME OR MY DEPUTY. WE HAVE SUFFICIENT MATERIAL ON WHICH TO DRAW. IF THIS IS AGREED, IT SEEMS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER LIMITED DISCUSSION AT EXCOM WARRANTS COSTS OF INCLUSION IN UK
DELEGATION ON THIS OCCASION OF HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE.
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