CONFIDENTIAL
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123557
MDHIAN 6194
UNQUOTE
4. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF UKMIS GENEVA COULD TAKE UP THIS MATTER URGENTLY WITH UNHCR. ON TACTICS, WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON THE STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING. ALTHOUGH SECTION A (3) IS CLEAR, THERE IS AN ESCAPE CLAUSE (SEE END OF FIRST SENTENCE) MAKING UNHCR'S FINANCIAL SUPPORT SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABIL- ITY OF FUNDS. WE THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE UNHCR'S CURRENT FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES (WHICH WE UNDERSTAND ARE SEVERE) BUT MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE CANNOT ACCEPT THE UNILATERAL WITHDRAWAL OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT. THE UNHCR CONTRIBUTION WILL BE REDUCED ONCE THE PILLAR POINT CAMP BECOMES AVAILABLE IN AUGUST BUT ANY IMMEDIATE REDUCTION WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE. GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF UKMIS. GENEVA COULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO UNHCR:
(A) A UNHCR DECISION TO REDUCE FUNDING SUPPORT FOR REFUGEE CAMPS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE ONCE THE CAMPS ARE UNDER THEIR MANAGEMENT AND
RESPONSIBILITY.
(B) UNTIL THEN THE CAMPS ARE UNDER OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE THAT UNHCR SHOULD UNILATERALLY SEEK TO REDUCE FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN THIS WAY. IT IS POLITICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US UNDER CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE LEGISLATURE FOR THIS PURPOSE.
(C) IT IS IMPORTANT THAT UNHCR SHOULD TAKE OVER THE REFUGEE CAMPS
AS PREVIOUSLY AGREED. IT IS UNREALISTIC FOR UNHCR TO EXPECT AS THE PRICE FOR DOING SO THAT WE WILL UNDERTAKE FURTHER RENOVATION WORK
IN THE CAMPS. AGAIN IT IS POLITICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO OBTAIN
ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
(D) HOPE UNHCR WILL RECONSIDER POSITION. A ROW ON THIS BETWEEN US IS NOT (NOT) SENSIBLE GIVEN THE VERY MAJOR DIFFICULTIES WE BOTH
FACE ON VBP.
WILSON
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