TNAG-1021-FCO40-1271-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-international-organisations-1981 — Page 42

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cosponsored the ECOSOC resolution of August 1970 [D] calling

for a strengthening of the UN machinery to cope with natural

disasters, and contributed a memorandum on the subject in

May 1971 [E], which was praised by the Secretary-General who

incorporated part of its ideas in his report [A]. The UK

memorandum emphasised the need for an independent disaster

relief coordinator to act as an information clearing house

and suggest measures to coordinate relief internationally, while maintaining close contact with governments, the UN

Specialised Agencies and voluntary bodies. It also said he

should interest himself in pre-disaster planning. The memorandum envisaged that the staff demands of the Coordinator's

Office would be small and could be borne by the UN Regular

Budget. It called for the Coordinator to be someone of international standing.

3.

HMG's primary aim has always been that UNDRO should

provide a focal point for the coordination and dissemination

of information on post-disaster needs and donor responses,

particularly in relation to natural disasters. To this end

HMG, together with a small group of other donors (principally

the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA), contributed to a

special or Trust fund set up to finance extra staff posts

when UNDRO was strengthened in 1975/76 [F and G]. In each of the biennia 1974/75, 1976/77 and 1978/79 we contributed

£100,000 to this special fund. We now consider that

UNDRO's staff paid for from the UN Regular Budget is adequate

to perform its main functions, provided they are properly

deployed. We therefore have no intention of contributing more.

/Apart from voluntary

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