CONFIDENTIAL
164670
MDHOAN 6554
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 290030Z HONG KONG
TELNO 187
OF 28180OZ JANUARY 91
HKB 02013
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MCLAREN, DUSS
YOUR TELNO 299: GULF: BURDEN SHARING
1.
TOP COPY Q DIST?
la
а
I AM GLAD THAT YOU AGREE THAT THERE IS NOW A CASE A HONG KONG CONTRIBUTION TO GULF BURDEN SHARING. I RECOGNISE THAT THIS WILL BE FAR FROM EASY TO ACHIEVE AND I TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT THE PARTICULAR DIFFICULTY THAT WOULD ARISE IF, AFTER MAKING A CONTRIBUTION, HONG KONG CONTINUED TO BE IN DISPUTE WITH THE MOD ABOUT THE FINANCING OF THE PATROL CRAFT.
2.
I DO NOT HOWEVER THINK IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE (IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING) TO MAKE ANY DIRECT LINK BETWEEN A CONTRIBUTION TO GULF BURDEN SHARING AND FINANCING OF THE PATROL CRAFT. I JUDGE THAT THE SUGGESTION OF SUCH A LINK WOULD BE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE WITH THE MOD CAND WITH MINISTERS HERE) AND WOULD TO A LARGE EXTENT NULLIFY THE CREDIT THAT YOU WOULD OTHERWISE GAIN. MY STRONG ADVICE WOULD BE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION WITHOUT STRINGS ATTACHED AND, IN FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE COST SHARING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PATROL CRAFT TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE FACT THAT HONG KONG HAD CONTRIBUTED WILLINGLY (AND I HOPE GENEROUSLY) TO HMG'S GULF WAR EFFORT.
OUR LATEST INFORMATION ON CONTRIBUTIONS FROM COUNTRIES IN THE REGION IS AS FOLLOWS:
3.
KOREA: 120 MILLION US DOLLARS IN CASH DIRECT TO THE US, 102 MILLION US DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY THE CRISIS AND THE OFFER OF A
MEDICAL UNIT TO SAUDI ARABIA.
TAIWAN: 30 MILLION US DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO
COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY THE CRISIS.
SINGAPORE: 30 MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF THE UK EFFORT.
MALAYSIA, THAILAND, INDONESIA, BRUNEI: NIL.
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.