CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 2+3/11
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2219
OF 04110OZ JULY 89
TOP COPY
Q DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, UKREP BRUSSELS, TOKYO
89
971557
MDHIAN 1879
UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 419 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : FINANCE
THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING. WE HAVE THE WORD OF THE JAPANESE THAT THEIR CONTRIBUTION OF US DOLLARS 11 MILLION IS TO BE APPLIED TO THE EXPANDED HONG KONG APPEAL. I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO
ACCEPT THAT THE UNHCR ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS.
2.
THE JAPANESE CONTRIBUTION WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS MEETING THE UNHCR SHARE OF EXPENDITURE IN HONG KONG FOR 1989. FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE SHARE OF EXPENDITURE IS APPROXIMATELY HK DOLLARS 30 MILLION, AND FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR WE ESTIMATE THEIR SHARE OF EXPENDITURE TO BE HK DOLLARS 82 MILLION. I MUST REITERATE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE FUNDS TO COVER THE UNHCR SHARE OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. UNLESS WE GET REIMBURSEMENT SOON FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, AND PAYMENT IN ADVANCE OF AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF THEIR EXTIMATED SHARE OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, WE SHALL SIMPLY BE UNABLE TO FUND THE CARE OF BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR.
3.
I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THIS COULD BE RESOLVED URGENTLY. ΤΟ DO SO WE NEED BOTH TO PIN DOWN THE JAPANESE PRECISELY AS TO THE INTENTION OF THEIR PLEDGE, AND TO INSIST THAT THE UNHCR HONOUR THEIR AGREEMENT WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BY CONCLUDING THEIR NORMAL REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENTS AND BY PAYING WHAT THEY OWE.
4.
I SHOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL FOR CLARIFICATION OF THE SCOPE OF THE EC CONTRIBUTION OF ECU 2.2 MILLION, AND OF ANY FURTHER EMERGENCY AID. OUR PRIORITY REQUIREMENT IS FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST OF FOOD AND OTHER ITEMS ESSENTIAL FOR THE CARE OF REFUGEES AND BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. DURING THE GENEVA CONFERENCE, I DISCUSSED THE MATTER OF FUNDING WITH ENDYMION WILLIAMS OF THE EC COMMISSION. SAW A GOOD PROSPECT OF EC ASSISTANCE BEING FORTHCOMING TO HELP HONG KONG WITH THE COST OF LOOKING AFTER VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HERE.
5.
·
IN THE LIGHT OF UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 411 (NOW REPEATED TO HK) I HOPE THAT ANY ADDITIONAL UK CONTRIBUTION TO UNHCR CAN BE DIRECTED
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