TNAG-0894-FCO40-1104-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 304

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3. WE ALSO THINK IT IMPORTANT TO EMPHASISE THE NEED FOR THE UNHCR TO OPERATE A REALISTIC BUDGET. SEEN FROM HERE, THEIR PREDICTIONS OF EXPENDITURE ARE LIKELY TO BE GROSSLY INADEQUATE. TO GIVE SOME

IDEA OF THE LIKELY COSTS (WHICH WILL FALL ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IF THE UNHCR IS UNABLE TO MEET THEM) YOU MIGHT FIND IT USEFUL TO KNOW THAT, DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, WE SPENT ON VIETNAM REFUGEES ABOUT HONG KONG DOLLARS 19 MILLION (NEARLY

U.S. DOLLARS 4 MILLION) ON RECURRENT EXPENDITURE (EXCLUDING SALARIES) AND H.K, DOLLARS 33 MILLION (NEARLY US DOLLARS 8 MILLION)

ON CAPITAL COSTS PROVIDING ACCOMMODATION FOR 59,083 PEOPLE. THIS

HAS BEEN DURING A PERIOD WHEN THE REFUGEE POPULATION STARTED FROM THE LOW FIGURE OF 5,000 TO REACH A LEVEL AT THE END OF JUNE OF 50,000. EXPENDITURE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR WILL BE PROPORTION-

ATELY HIGHER.

4. ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT THINK IT NECESSARY TO REFER TO THE POINT III A PLENARY SPEECH, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE STRONGEST RESERVATIONS ABOUT HONG KONG PLAYING ANY PART IN THE REFUGEE RESCUE OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA REFERRED ΤΟ IN 40 (XVII) OF THE UNHCR PAPER.

5. WE WILL TELEGRAPH SEPARATELY MATERIAL FROM BRIEFS NOW BEING PREPARED, AS REQUESTED IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 2.

MACLEHOSE

FILE S:

H K & G D

SEAD

TEJ

UND

HR CONTAZET

MA MURRAY

3.

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