CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 02013
TO DESKBY 26010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 178
OF 251635Z JANUARY 91
GC
to
drist.
Pls copy сфу Femergency
2811
42
Pa
160123 MDHOAN 6463
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM BURNS, AUSS
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YOUR TELNO 158: GULF: BURDEN SHARING
1.
AS YOU WILL NO DOUBT HAVE HEARD ALREADY, THE GOVERNMENT HAVE LAUNCHED A BURDEN SHARING INITIATIVE TO SEEK FINANCIAL HELP FROM COUNTRIES NOT DIRECTLY PARTICIPATING IN THE GULF CONFLICT. DURING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT, LORD CAITHNESS WILL WISH TO DISCUSS WITH YOU WHETHER IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST TO HONG KONG FOR A CONTRIBUTION.
2.
WE ARE OF COURSE WELL AWARE OF THE LOCAL SENSITIVITIES WHICH YOU AND I DISCUSSED AT LENGTH DURING LORD CAITHNESS' PREVIOUS VISIT TO HONG KONG AND WHICH YOU EXPLAINED IN YOUR TELNO 3090 OF 24 OCTOBER 1990, RECORDING THE INFORMAL ADVICE OF EXCO. WE NOTE HOWEVER THAT AT THAT MEETING MEMBERS CONCLUDED THAT, WHILST THERE WAS NOT AT THAT TIME AN OBVIOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR HONG KONG TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION, IF EVENTS CHANGED, THE SITUATION COULD BE REVIEWED.
3. THE OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES MEANS THAT WE ARE INDEED IN A NEW SITUATION. THE PERCEPTION HERE IS THAT THE UK IS CARRYING A VERY SUBSTANTIAL BURDEN ON BEHALF OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. THE FULL COST WILL NOT BE CLEAR UNTIL AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF HOSTILITIES, BUT OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE IS THAT THE MINIMUM COST IS LIKELY TO BE IN THE REGION OF 3 BILLION POUNDS.
4.
THE SUPPORT WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED SO FAR FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FALLS WELL BELOW THAT BEING GIVEN TO THE US. WE ESTIMATE THAT, AS A RESULT OF THEIR APPEALS TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THE AMERICANS HAVE SO FAR BEEN ABLE TO COVER TWO THIRDS OF THEIR COSTS. BY CONTRAST, PLEDGES TO THE UK AMOUNT TO LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF OURS.
5. THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS
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