CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 761
OF 311815Z MARCH 89
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
(5)
TO
YOUR TELNO 1050 (NOT TO UKMIS GENEVA):
1.
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: FINANCE
Нар HKD 2431
106462
MDHOAN 8328
1
WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE PREPARED TO PUT A CASE TO MINISTERS FOR A CONTRIBUTION FROM HMG TOWARDS THE COST OF EXPANDING THE FACILITIES AT WHITEHEAD. BUT AS YOU APPRECIATE, THIS WILL NOT BE AN EASY TASK AND WE SHALL NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE CASE IS CAREFULLY AND COMPREHENSIVELY ARGUED.
2.
WE WILL NEED TO HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WHITEHEAD PROJECT. THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC POINTS OCCUR TO US IMMEDIATELY:
(A) WHAT EXACTLY WILL STAGES 3 AND 4 OF THE WHITEHEAD PROJECT INVOLVE? (WHAT DID STAGES 1 AND 2 INVOLVE?). WHEN WILL THE WORK START AND WHEN WOULD IT BE FINISHED? OVER WHAT PERIOD WOULD FUNDS NEED TO BE DISBURSED?
(B) HOW FIRM IS THE COST ESTIMATE OF HONG KONG DOLLARS 170 MILLION? COULD IT RUN TO MORE? WHAT SCOPE IS THERE FOR ECONOMIES?
(C) HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD BE ACCOMMODATED AT WHITEHEAD? WOULD THE NEW FACILITIES BE READY IN TIME TO COPE WITH ANY RENEWED INFLUX THIS SUMMER?
(D) HAS THE OPTION OF PROVIDING TEMPORARY FACILITIES BEEN FULLY CONSIDERED? MIGHT THERE NOT BE ADVANTAGE IN GOING FOR THIS CHEAPER OPTION? HOW LONG WOULD TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION LAST BEFORE IT WOULD NEED TO BE UPGRADED?
3.
A FURTHER QUESTION WHICH OCCURS TO US IS WHETHER THERE WOULD BE ANY SCOPE FOR PRESSING UNHCR TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION. IT IS NOT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR TO US THAT THEY WOULD BE UNWILLING TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO ACCOMMODATE NEW ARRIVALS WHOSE STATUS HAD YET TO BE DETERMINED. IF THE UNHCR CHANNEL WERE AVAILABLE, IT MIGHT (MIGHT) BE EASIER FOR HMG TO CONTRIBUTE IN THIS WAY BY EARMARKING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
4. WE HAVE COPIED TUR TO UKMIS GENEVA
HOWE
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CONFIDENTIAL
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