CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE
HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243/ Bal 243/201
86
052355
MDHOAN 3970
TELNO 1367
OF 271445Z JUNE 89
(42
062/4
YOUR TELNOS 1884, 1987 AND 2055 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM HMG
1. WE APPRECIATE THE URGENCY OF PRESSING AHEAD WITH THESE PROJECTS IN VIEW OF THE CONTINUING HIGH RATE OF ARRIVALS AND YOUR CONTINUING DIFFICULTIES WITH FINANCE COMMITTEE. WE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING CAREFULLY WITH THE TREASURY HOW WE CAN BEST MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE CONDITIONS THEY HAVE LAID DOWN.
AS YOU KNOW, THE TREASURY HAD SPECIFIED THAT THE FUNDS SHOULD BE SPENT ON TENTS (#250,000) AND EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION (UP TO #4 MILLION). OUR BID WAS OF COURSE ORIGINALLY LINKED TO THE CONVERSION OF THE LEI YUE MUN BARRACKS. BUT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A CASE FOR USING THE FUNDS FOR OTHER EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATON PROVIDED WE COULD SHOW THAT :
(A) IT WAS AN EQUIVALENT AND BROADLY COMPARABLE PROJECT COR
PROJECTS): AND
(B) OUR CONTRIBUTION WAS GENUINELY ADDITIONAL.
3.
AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON
YOUR SPECIFIC PROPOSALS :
A. WHITEHEAD STAGE 2(C). WE ENVISAGE VERY GREAT DIFFICULTY IN SECURING TREASURY AGREEMENT TO USE HMG FUNDS TO FINANCE THE
PURCHASE OF PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS FROM HOLLAND.
B. SEK KONG CAMP. WE PRESUME THAT THE TENTS FOR THIS WILL COME EITHER FROM THE STOCK FOR WHICH YOU HAVE PAID OR FROM THE TWO CONSIGNMENTS FOR WHICH WE HAVE AGREED TO PAY. GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF FURTHER TENTS OTHER THAN THOSE ALREADY IN STOCK ARE LIKELY TO
BE REQUIRED. WE SHALL ALSO NEED A BREAKDOWN OF THE SPECIFIC USES TO WHICH THE FUNDS WOULD BE PUT IN THE CAMP, SO THAT WE CAN SUBMIT URGENTLY TO THE TREASURY.
C. HIGH ISLAND CAMP. WE PRESUME AGAIN THAT TENTS FOR THIS
WOULD COME FROM EXISTING STOCKS. GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHAT SPECIFIC SITE PREPARATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS WILL ARISE, FOR WHICH OUR FUNDS MIGHT BE EARMARKED.
D. SOKO. GRATEFUL FOR AN INDICATION OF YOUR PLANS FOR A NEW
RECEPTION CENTRE AND LIKELY COSTS IN DUE COURSE. THIS STRIKES
US AS A POTENTIALLY PROMISING CANDIDATE FOR HMG ASSISTANCE.
WE PROPOSE TO FIND THE REQUIRED SUM FROM WITHIN THE #4
4.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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