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FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 339
OF 090904Z JUNE
NFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TOP
Q DIST
MY TELNO 332: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: UNHCR REIMBURSEMENT
1. CONCOLATO (UNHCR) HAS TOLD US THAT UNHCR'S REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG
KONG HAS NOW WRITTEN TO HKG ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
(A) THE DECISION (TAKEN IN MARCH) TO DISCONTINUE FOOD AND RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES IN EMPLOYMENT WAS NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING MONEY BUT REFLECTS THE NORMAL OPERATING PRINCIPLE THAT UNHCR DOES NOT PROVIDE FREE FOOD TO PEOPLE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT.,
(B) UNHCR (AND THEIR IMPLEMENTING AGENCY) ARE READY TO TAKE OVER PILLAR POINT AS SOON AS CONSTRUCTION IS FINISHED.,
(C) UNHCR CANNOT TAKE OVER THE OTHER CAMPS WHICH ARE CURENTLY OVERCROWDED, UNTIL THE POPULATION NUMBERS RETURN TO NORMAL. THEY SUGGEST THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF ADOPTING INTERIM MEASURES SUCH AS AS ALLOWING REFUGEES TO BUY MEALS AT THE EXISTING CANTEENS AND/OR SETTING UP SMALL
CANTEENS/RESTAURANTS (RUN EITHER BY THE VRS THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE) FROM WHICH MEALS CAN BE BOUGHT.
COMMENT
2. WE HOPE THAT HKG WILL PURSUE THESE IDEAS ACTIVELY AS THEY SEEM TO US TO BE A SENSIBLE AND PRACTICAL WAY-FORWARD.
VEREKER
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.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
INFO D
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