TNAG-2224-FCO40-3195-Gulf-War-burden-sharing-Hong-Kong-contribution-1991 — Page 136

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004146

MDHOAN 7053

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MCLAREN, DUSS

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YOUR TELNOS 350 AND 351: GULF:

BURDEN-SHARING

1. THANK YOU FOR THIS INTERIM REPORT. I AM GLAD THAT THE INCLINATION AMONG EXCO MEMBERS IS TO BE HELPFUL THOUGH I FULLY APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULTIES.

2. FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY (YOUR TELNO 339) YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT OUR EFFORTS TO SECURE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR HEAVY AND GROWING GULF COSTS ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONCENTRATED ON JAPAN, GERMANY, SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT AND THE UAE. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM THE PRESS THAT THE GERMANS HAVE NOW PLEDGED DM800 MILLION IN ADDITION TO AN EARLIER CONTRIBUTION. MINISTERS HAVE NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER FORMAL APPROACHES SHOULD BE MADE TO OTHER POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS, THOUGH SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE SCALE OF CONTRIBUTION WE ARE LOOKING FOR ARE BEING MADE TO THOSE WHO ASK (EG THE BELGIANS). YOU ARE THUS NOT IN THE FIRST TRAWL AS FAR AS MINISTERS ARE CONCERNED. BUT IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT A CONTRIBUTION FROM HONG KONG WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

"

YOU ENQUIRED (SECOND TUR) ABOUT ALTERNATIVES TO HMG AS THE

RECIPIENT(S) OF ANY FUNDS WHICH HONG KONG MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE. THERE IS OF COURSE THE GULF TRUST, LAUNCHED FOR SUBSCRIPTION FROM THE PUBLIC. FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE SERVICE BENEVOLENT FUNDS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THOSE INJURED AND THEIR FAMILIES. THERE ARE SO FAR NO POST-CONFLICT REHABILITATION OR RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS OPEN FOR CONTRIBUTIONS THOUGH SOME SUCH WILL NO DOUBT BE ESTABLISHED AT A LATER STAGE. WE AND OTHERS ARE HOWEVER CONTINUING WITH EFFORTS TO HELP STATES DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE CONFLICT, NOTABLY TURKEY AND JORDAN. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT IN TERMS OF WINNING POLITICAL CREDIT HERE, CONTRIBUTIONS TO DIRECTLY AFFECTED STATES, TO GENERAL WELFARE OR TO POST WAR RECONSTRUCTION WOULD NOT HAVE THE SAME

IMPACT AS A CONTRIBUTION DIRECT TO HMG. IF THERE WERE SENSITIVITIES, E.G. CHINA-RELATED, ABOUT A CONTRIBUTION TO MILITARY COSTS IT WOULD NO DOUBT BE POSSIBLE TO SPECIFY THAT THE

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