TNAG-1911-FCO40-2715-Financial-assistance-from-the-UK-Government-to-Vietnamese-re-1989 — Page 133

CONFIDENTIAL

to the funding of a new long-term camp on Tai a Chau Island:

(c) £5 m for additional assitance to the Vietnamese

Government to ensure the success of the non-voluntary repatriation agreement. This is likely to fall largely in 1990-91 and beyond; and

(d) Up to a maximum commitment of about £15m, to be

spread over a number of years, as the "per caput" payment to Vietnam involved in mandatory repatriation of 38,000 boat people.

partially offset in 1989-90 by likely considerable underspending, amounting to about £8.0m, of the amounts set out in paragraph 2(a) and (b).

EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION

A.

£5.6 m is required to enable HKG to complete the emergency accommodation work started earlier this year for which HMG has already paid £4.5m. HKG does not have sufficient money to complete works at the High Island and Whitehead camps. The additional funds are requiredd to ensure that the camps are secure and able to withstand severe weather conditions. Work will have to stop in November, unless we make funds available urgently. My officials have gone through the

requirements very carefully with HKG and are writing to your officials to follow up this letter.

CAMP ON TẠI A CHAU

5.

This year we were badly caught, having no accommodation available to meet the spring and summer influx. We must not be in the same position next year. Hong Kong has thoroughly examined the options and concluded that a fully-equipped camp on Tai a Chau is the only viable one. It is not the cheapest, but politically the others are impossible and infact not substantially less per head place.

6.

We recognise that the influx next may never happen. But we cannot risk taking no action. In the event that the influx is less than expected, the camp will be fully utilised - by reducing the overcrowding in existing camps and by phasing out those which are controversial or stand in the way of other activity - for example Sek Kong where the local population is very aggitated about the camp and Sham Shui Po, which has long been needed as a development

area.

ROFAIC (2)

CONFIDENTIAL