TNAG-1910-FCO40-2714-Financial-assistance-from-the-UK-Government-to-Vietnamese-re-1989 — Page 170

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[VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS]

1. I shall be submitting separately some ideas on attainable objectives for our handling of the situation in Hong Kong, to follow up Mr Gillmore's minute of 18 May. But there is little prospect of providing early relief, and we are bound to face requests for financial assistance which it would be politically unwise to refuse on the grounds that no funds are available. therefore support the action proposed, which, as Mr Paul points out, has already been agreed by Ministers in principle.

2. The purpose of the draft letter is to put the Chief Secretary on notice, rather than to make a specific bid for additional funds. It should be noted that the result would be that the less attractive kind of expenditure (on detention. centres etc) would fall to the FCO rather than the ODA vote. I see no alternative to this; the ODA have shown considerable flexibility (eg, over the recent £6 million for Pillar Point), but it would be very difficult for them to justify the use of their funds for some of the contigencies mentioned in the draft minute.

I

Parlangen h

RJT McLaren

19 May 1989

Cc: PS/Lord Glenarthur

PS/Mr Eggar

PS/PUS

Mr Gillmore

Mr Blatherwick

Mr Crabbie, RMD Mr Colvin, SEAD Mr Brenton, UND Mr Paul, HKD

Miss Marston

Mr Forgman 2015

15 Hego or 3X гновий св

Mr

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