225366
ESTRICTED
BY 281115Z
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 281057Z SEP 79
Hkx2431
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.1351 OF 28 SEPTEMBER,
INFO UKMIS GENEVA.
67 Zit
M
21.0
1727.
YOUR TELNO.774 (NOT TO UKMIS GENEVA) :
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : UNHCR ASSISTANCE REPORT.
see (1735
1753)
1. WE ARE NOT CLEAR. HOW THE UNHCR'S ASSISTANCE REPORT WILL BE
DISCUSSED. HOWEVER WE HOPE THE POINTS IN PARAS 2 TO 5 BELOW CAN BE USED AS APPROPRIATE TO PUT DOWN A MARKER THAT PRESENT AND PROJECTED UNHCR EXPENDITURE ON REFUGEES HERE ARE NOT ADEQUATE. WE ASSUME THAT DETAILS ARE A MATTER FOR BILATERAL NEGOTIATION WITH UNHCR, BUT WE WOULD NOT WISH OUR POSITION TO BE WEAKENED
BY FAILURE TO COMMENT ON THIS REPORT.
2. FROM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER 1979 OUR DIRECT EXPENDITURE ON - REFUGEES WAS U.S DOLLARS THIRTEEN MILLION. MUCH OF THIS WAS THE RESULT OF UNHCR'S INABILITY, DURING MOST OF THE PERIOD, TO ACCEPT FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS THE PROVISION OF ACCOMMODATION AND CARE AND MAINTENANCE FOR MORE THAN A SMALL
PROPORTION OF THE REFUGEE POPULATION HERE.
3. IF PROJECTED COSTS ARE BASED ON END OF JUNE REFUGEES NUMBERS
THEY WILL ALREADY BE INACCURATE: E.G SINCE THEN THE NUMBERS
IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN ON AVERAGE SOME TEN PERCENT HIGHER.
4. UNHCR ARE NOT YET MEETING ALL THE COSTS WE BELIEVE THEY SHOULD. THE UNDERSTANDING REACHED ON 14 AUGUST (MY TELNOS.1164 AND 1165) COVERED ONLY CARE AND MAINTENANCE AND THE EXPANSION OF THE CAPACITY OF UNHCR CAMPS TO 44,000. ON THE ASSUMPTIONS GF NO REPEAT NO FUTURE ARRIVALS AND A RESETTLEMENT RATE OF 4,000 PER MONTH FROM OCTOBER, GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT COSTS FOR REFUGEES NOT IN UNHCR CAMPS WOULD BE ABOUT U.S DOLLARS ONE POINT FIVE MILLION OVER THE SIX MONTHS FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER. WE HOPE UNHCR WILL BUDGET TO MEET THESE COSTS AND WE PLAN TO DISCUSS
THEIR TAKING OVER ANOTHER CAMP.
*
RESTRICTED
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