CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 913
OF 271845Z APRIL 89
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
-42
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
HKD 203100
нко
020031 MDHOAN 0054
45
YOUR TELNO 1315:
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: FINANCE
1. THE REACTION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS A DISAPPOINTING ONE, PARTICULARLY AFTER OUR EFFORTS TO CREATE A MORE FAVOURABLE POLITICAL CLIMATE FOR THE MEETING ON 26 APRIL BY MEANS OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENT OF A CONTRIBUTION OF POUNDS STERLING 6M FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OF EXPENSE INCURRED
OVER PILLAR POINT.
ALTHOUGH YOUR TELEGRAM DOES NOT MENTION IT, WE ASSUME THAT THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY MADE APPROPRIATE USE OF THIS POINT AND REMINDED THE COMMITTEE THAT OUR CONTRIBUTION IS OF THE SAME ORDER OF MAGNITUDE AS THAT OF THE FUNDS REQUIRED FOR STAGES 3 AND 4 OF
THE WHITEHEAD PROJECT.
2. OF THE TWO APPROACHES IN PARA 2 OF YOUR TELEGRAM, THE FIRST STRIKES US AS PARTICULARLY INAPPROPRIATE, IN VIEW OF OUR RECENT POUNDS STERLING 6M CONTRIBUTION. THE SECOND IS SOMEWHAT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT CLEAR TO US WHAT THE PHRASE QUOTE UNTIL MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS A REALITY UNQUOTE MEANS. IF IT MEANS THE PHYSICAL MANDATORY REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM OF INDIVIDUALS FROM CAMPS IN HONG KONG, THAT OBJECTIVE COULD STILL BE SOME WAY OFF.
3. THIS LEADS US TO ASK WONDER WHEN YOU MIGHT NEXT HAVE TO APPROACH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AGAIN FOR FUNDS,
ASSUMING (AS UNDER MRS FAN'S OPTION B) THAT APPROVAL IS GIVEN FOR THE FUNDS YOU REQUIRE FOR EMERGENCY TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION, INCLUDING NEW ACCOMMODATION AT LO WU, AND FOR WHITEHEAD (STAGES 3 AND 4). CAN YOU GIVE US AN INDICATION OF WHEN THIS IS LIKELY TO BE AND HOW YOU WOULD EXPECT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO INTERPRET THE CONCEPT OF QUOTE MANDATORY REPATRIATION AS AS REALITY UNQUOTE?
4. WE ASSUME THAT BETWEEN NOW AND 3 MAY YOU WILL ALSO BE
CONSIDERING WHAT COULD BE DONE TO LOBBY MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO GIVE STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROVAL AT NEXT WEEK'S MEETING, EMPHASISING THE ICIR CONTEXT AND THE RECENT UK CONTRIBUTION. SEEN FROM HERE, IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE WORTH TRYING, GIVEN THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS IF CONDITIONS WERE
ATTACHED TO ANY APPROVAL OF FURTHER FUNDS.
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