TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 168

CONFIDENTIAL

GX 560

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 160236Z AUG 79

HKK 243/1

577

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 1 6 AUG 1979

DESK OFFICER INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER 1166 OF 16 AUGUST, 1979

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA AND

WASHINGTON.

1576

VISIT OF UNHCR REPRESENTATIVES - MY TELEGRAM NO. 1164: CARE AND MAINTENANCE IN HONG KONG, TEXT AGREED WITH MR. CUENOD.

La

QUOTE.

''FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG ON 14TH AUGUST, 1979, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

NOW UNDERSTANDS THAT THE HIGH COMMISSIONER HAS UNDERTAKEN TO MEET THE BASIC CARE AND MAINTENANCE COSTS OF ALL REFUGEES IN HONG KONG ON 1ST SEPTEMBER, 1979 AND THEREAFTER,

2. THE GOVERNMENT UNDERSTANDS THAT FOR GOVERNMENT-RUN CAMPS, ESTABLISHED STANDARD ITEMS OF SUPPLY FOR ASSISTANCE IN KIND WILL CONTINUE TO BE OBTAINED THROUGH ESTABLISHED CHANNELS, PAYMENTS FOR WHICH WILL BE MADE BY THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG. WHEREVER POSSIBLE DONATIONS IN KIND FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES SECURED THROUGH UNHCR OR OFFERED TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WILL BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THOSE PURCHASED LOCALLY PROVIDED:-

(A) THEY ARE DONATIONS OF STANDARD ITEMS ALREADY BEING SUPPLIED OR THEY ARE PALATABLE ALTERNATIVES WHICH CAN BE SUBSTITUTED

FOR STANDARD ITEMS: AND

B) THEY ARRIVE IN HONG KONG IN QUANTITIES WHICH CAN CONVENIENTLY

BE HANDLED, TRANSPORTED, STORED AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE GOVERN- MENT WITHOUT DISPROPORTIONATE EXPENSE TO THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT.

CONFIDENTIA

3.