TNAG-2224-FCO40-3195-Gulf-War-burden-sharing-Hong-Kong-contribution-1991 — Page 32

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It was difficult to judge whether the $230 million was reasonable sum, but it was less than 0.003% of

of the reserves and should

should be affordable. She hoped however that the Administration would ensure that public expenditure in other

in other areas would not be affected. The public did not want to see any cutbacks in public expenditure because of the contribution. She did not see any need to add conditions to the contribution because HK's stance had to be clear,

be clear, but taking into other public views she would not oppose the an-nded proposal, Her support did not mean that she would support further applications for funds.

account

MC.

Jimmy McGregor considered that HK had a constitutional loyalty to UK that should be well understood in HK. HK's prosperity had been built up as a UK territory. If UK had not faced dictatorship in 1939 there would be no HK, no marvellous economic performance and no one to debate the proposal. Millions of people had died to save the world at that

that time from dictatorship of the worst kind, and HK people had been involved and died. HK had an obligation to assist its sovereign state in efforts to assist the world order to continue to develop peacefully. Few wars were just, but he did consider this one was necessary. HK would obtain benefits from successful action and should not be afraid of terrorisin as dictators thrived on fear. helped HK greatly in a

a hundred different ways over ત્ર long period of time. This was not the time to let her down. He therefore supported the proposal, preferrably without conditions, but he would not object to these if they were required by other Members.

UK had

Mrs. Alice So felt that in order to safeguard international order and peace HK had to make a contribution. However HK was in the shadow of а recession and very

very soon had to pay for PADS and had a lot of social problems to solve. $230 million was not a small sum to HK. She supported making the contribution, but the amount had to be kept to an optimum and reasonable level.

Mr. James Tien considered the invasion of Kuwait was for its oil and was therefore for a monetary reason. HK's tourist industry was already suffering and if the war dragged on he wondered what would happen to the economies of HK, the other countries in the region and the USA. The contribution was being made to end the war as soon as possible. The amount of $230 million

not a small sum to HK people, but should be compared to HK's trade value of $200 billion from January to November. The amount should be regarded as a gesture of HK's goodwill and generosity. He had thought that attaching conditions was superfluous, but did not object strongly.