TNAG-1021-FCO40-1271-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-international-organisations-1981 — Page 12

BY BAG

布政司署

港下亞畢道

* OUR REF: CR 1/4821/81

來檔號 YOUR REF

CONFIDENTIAL

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

HKK Ozzlı

RESEPE AN

SISTRY NO. 51

O 1MAY 1931

15 April 1981

كتله

DEK OFFICER

I W Mackley Esq UND..

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

Mr

то

An's

FCO

William

t

see

22

COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

attadued

2 23/14

2%

Please refer to my letter of 1 April. I have now discussed the subject more fully with Security Branch who are normally the focal point for any major emergencies here. Some further points have emerged which I think it worth recording.

2.

We agree with the view of the Swedish delegate (para 5 (e) of your letter of 10 February to Christopher Long) that the receiving Government will often be the best coordinator. In our own experience (although we are certainly not perfect) we believe that the long term local knowledge and experience which Government officials have makes them far more effective than outsiders rush- ing to the scene. There is,

There is, however, probably a need for a quick high level appreciation by representatives of any major UN agencies involved to decide on the spot how coordination should be handled in each case. We certainly believe that whoever makes this assessment should ask himself first whether there are good reasons why the receiving Government should not undertake the task.

•

3. There are, of course, always questions of personalities and one cannot always assume that there will be good, capable and uncorrupt local officials to do the job.

4.

Looking back on the start of the Vietnamese refugee crisis, we believe that the job could have been done better if the necessary funds (for supplying food and emergency accommodation) had been made available by UNHCR quickly to the Hong Kong Covernment and if we had taken complete control withUNHCRstaff assisting in resettlement. We did examine some aspects of this, including making Government servants available to help if UNHCR could meet the costs. We were, however, told that UNHCR rules preclude their paying for any staff from the host Government. It might be worth re-examining this rule if this would make it easier to encourage Governments to play a greater role in coordination when they can do so more effectively than outside organizations.

cc CW Long Esq UKMIS Gva

P Morrice Esq HK&GD FCO

(I C Orr).

CONFIDENTIAL