TNAG-0891-FCO40-1101-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 105

Mr Murray

CONFIDENTIAL

cc Mr Buist ODA

Mr Cortazzi

Hkk 2431 0226

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1169A

Mr Simon, SEAD

Mr McLaren, HKGD

Mr Fitzherbert, EID (E) Mr S-Orlebar, UND

AID FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

PROBLEM

по

827.1 Hy

27 6

1. Can we claw back the British contribution to EEC cereals food

aid allocated to Vietnam to provide a British cash contribution

to the work of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees

(UNHCR) to help refugees from Vietnam?

CONCLUSION

2. We could try to convince our EEC partners and the Commission that the second tranche of 43,000 tonnes of grain, earmarked for Vietnam, should be withheld.. But this would only mean that this 43,000 tonnes of grain would be allocated to other recipients. These might be refugees from Vietnam, living in camps elsewhere

in South East Asia. It would not be possible to withdraw the UK

contribution so that the money could be used for other purposes.

BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT

3.

..

Under the Food Aid Convention of 1971 the Community is

committed to supply a total of 1,287,000 tonnes of grain in food aid per year. A fixed percentage of this is supplied under joint Community action, administered by the Commission and financed

from the EEC Budget.

4.

It was agreed in the Council of Ministers on 8 May that 720,500 tonnes of grain should be supplied under joint Community

action. The Council of Ministers also agreed that 86,000 tonnes,

in two equal tranches, would be allocated to Vietnam.

5.

The Commission have agreed the transfer of the second tranche of 43,000 tonnes of grain to Vietnam should be conditional on their "good international behaviour". We could seek to persuade our partners and the Commission that Vietnam had forfeited the right to this second tranche by its offences against Human Rights

CONFIDENTIAL

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