CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 07110OZ FCOLN
TELNO 1884
OF 071005Z JUNE 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HRB 243/30
142
175750
MDHIAN 8560
PERSONAL FOR PAUL: HKD, FROM GOVERNOR
1123:
YOUR TELNO 1123: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: LEI YUE MUN
THERE HAS CLEARLY BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING OVER LEI YUE MUN. IN OUR TELNO 1772 WE SET OUT THE OPTIONS IN A PREFERENCE ORDER. WE EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH THE OLD BARRACKS AT LEI YUE MUN WOULD PROVIDE SATISFACTORY ACCOMMODATION FOR VBP THERE WERE ALSO SERIOUS
POLITICAL PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMENTING THIS OPTION. RECENT EVENTS IN
HONG KONG HAVE STRENGTHENED THESE POLITICAL OBJECTIONS AND I CANNOT
AT THIS STAGE SANCTION THE USE OF VBP ACCOMMODATION OF THIS MAJOR COMMUNITY ASSET. WE HAVE NOT (NOT) ABANDONED THE IDEA : BUT EQUALLY
WE WILL NOT/NOT BE TAKING IT ANY FURTHER FOR THE PRESENT. THE PREFERRED OPTION AT PRESENT IS SEK KONG WITH PERHAPS A SECOND
TENTED CAMP IN RESERVE.
2. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT MINISTERS WOULD PREFER TO FUND PROJECTS WHICH PROVIDE DURABLE ACCOMMODATION RATHER THAN TENTS. WE TOO HAVE
DOUBTS ABOUT OVER-RELIANCE ON TENTS AND BELIEVE WE ARE CLOSE TO THE
SAFE LIMIT ON USING SUCH OPTIONS.
L
3. THE OFFER OF PDS 4 MILLION IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS OF VERY
CONSIDERABLE PRACTICAL AND POLITICAL VALUE IN HONG KONG AND I HOPE MINISTERS CAN ACCEPT ITS USE ON OTHER PROJECTS APART FROM LEI YUE MUN. I WOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL IF MINISTERS COULD CONSIDER MAKING THESE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO COVER PART OF THE COST OF THE WHITEHEAD PROJECT. PDS 4 MILLION WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS COVERING THE COST OF ONE STAGE OF THE WHITEHEAD CAMP. IF THIS IDEA IS ACCEPTABLE I SUGGEST THAT AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE THIS ASSISTANCE WOULD BE FOLLOWING MY MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER
ON 8 JUNE.
WILSON
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