CONFIDENTIAL
031660
MDHIA 315
4. FOLLOWING A BRIEFING OF THE OMELCO SECURITY PANEL ON 12 AUGUST, NEWS OF THE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN OURSELVES AND UNHCR BECAME PUBLIC. THE PRESENT POSITION IS THAT WE ESTIMATE THAT UNHCR PRESENTLY OWE ABOUT HKD 50 MILLION FOR RELIEF ITEMS FOR THE FIRST
HALF OF 1989. THE COST FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR IS LIKELY
TO BE HKD 60 MILLION. WITHOUT THIS MONEY, OR FUNDS FROM OTHER OUTSIDE SOURCES, WE SHALL HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY IN COVERING OUR RECURRENT EXPENDITURE TO THE END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR. UNHCR HOPE
TO BE IN A POSITION TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW EEKS
BUT THEIR DESPERATE FINANCIAL POSITION MEANS THAT THEY CANNOT GIVE
AN UNDERTAKING TO REIMBURSE US IN FULL. THIS IS OF COURSE A
SENSITIVE ISSUE IN HONG KONG. THE SITUATION HAS NOT BEEN HELPED BY
A REPORT IN THIS MORNINGS PRESS QUOTING THE DEPUTY HIGH
COMMISSIONER AS SAYING THAT HE HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS FROM HONG KONG OF UNHCR BEING UNABLE TO MEET ITS COMMITMENTS TO REIMBURSE THE HKG. HE MIGHT OF COURSE HAVE BEEN MISQUOTED BUT IN VIEW OF UKMIS GENEVA'S EFFORTS EARLIER IN THE YEAR TO BRING THIS PROBLEM TO UNHCR'S ATTENTION, THESE COMMENTS ARE PUZZLING.
FORD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
109
DISTRIBUTION
116
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
FED
NAD
NEWS
INFO D
ADDITIONAL
7
FINANCE D
RMD
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/MR SAINSBURY
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL
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