CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2236
OF 05123OZ JULY 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE HANOI
INFO
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243/9
IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
46.
075165 MDHIAN 2053
TOP COPY Q DIST?
MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION ESTIMATES OF COST
1. UNHCR ESTIMATED THE COST OF REPATRIATION FOR 500 PEOPLE TO BE USD 557,000 MADE UP AS FOLLOWS:
A) TRANSPORT - USD 132,500
B) REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE - USD 314,500
C)
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS USD 110,000
AS REPORTED IN OUR TELNO 2066, UNHCR HAVE NO BEEN ABLE TO GIVE US ANY DETAILS OF ACTUAL PER CAPITA COSTS FOR THE FIRST TWO GROUPS OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATES, ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTAND THAT OVERALL THEY HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN EXPECTED. THE AMOUNTS ALLOWED BY UNHCR FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ARE SUBSTANTIAL, AND FOR REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE MUCH MORE THAN WE CONSIDER NECESSARY. THE OTHER HAND, THEIR INITIAL ESTIMATES FOR AIR TRANSPORT HAVE PROVED TO BE FAR TOO LOW.
2.
ON
ONE MAJOR ITEM OF EXPENDITURE WILL BE AIR TRANSPORT. THE COST OF CHARTERING A BOEING 737 IS HKD330,000. THE AIRCRAFT HAS A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 126 PASSENGERS: ALLOWING FOR ACCOMPANYING OFFICIALS AND SECURITY, WE BELIEVE 80 REPATRIATES PER AIRCRAFT IS A REALISTIC FIGURE. THIS GIVES A PER CAPITA COST OF USD530. IF THE NUMBER OF REPATRIATES PER AIRCRAFT IS LESS, AS WITH THE FIRST GROUP, THE PER CAPITA COST WILL OF COURSE BE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER. WE SHOULD THUS
ALLOW AT LEAST USD 600 PER CAPITA.
3. THE OTHER MAIN ITEM OF EXPENDITURE WILL BE REINTEGRATION
ASSISTANCE. ON THE BASIS OF THE AMOUNT ESTIMATED BY UNHCR FOR THE VOLUNTEERS (APPROXIMATELY USD 630 PER PERSON) WHICH IS KNOWN TO THE VIETNAMESE, OUR ORIGINAL SUGGESTION OF USD 100 PER ADULT, USD 50 PER CHILD IS LIKELY TO BE TOO LOW TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE VIETNAMESE. WE SUGGEST THAT WE ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE UP TO AN UPPER
LIMIT OF USD 300 PER ADULT AND USD 150 PER CHILD. IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO GO HIGHER IF THIS BECOMES A STICKING POINT WITH THE
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