A
CONFIDENTIAL
(50)
042720 MDHOAN 0531
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 06010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 963
OF 05153OZ MAY 89
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
(48)
MkD 243/20
YOUR TELNO 1426: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: FINANCE COMMITTEE PRESS LINE ON UK FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
1. SALLY BLYTH OF RTHK TELEPHONED NEWS DEPARTMENT AFTER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DECISION. SHE DESCRIBED THE DEBATE IN FINANCE COMMITTEE AND REFERRED TO OUR PDS STG 6 MILLION CONTRIBUTION TO UNHCR FOR THE PILLAR POINT PROJECT. SHE ASKED WHETHER WE WOULD BE MAKING A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION OF PDS STG 6 MILLION IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO TO MEET COSTS ARISING FROM THE NEW ARRIVALS. THE NEWS DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THAT WAS VERY UNLIKELY.
2. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS RESPONSE HAS BEEN MISREPORTED IN HONG KONG AS A STATEMENT THAT HMG WILL NOT/NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE FURTHER CONTRIBUTIONS TO HONG KONG.
3. WE AGREE WITH THE LINE PROPOSED IN PARA 2 OF TUR.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
96
DISTRIBUTION
102
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
FED
NAD
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN