TNAG-2386-FCO40-3468-Asia-travel-budget-for-1991-1991 — Page 146

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HKD 354/1 (6)

81/2

Miss Marsden

Ms Dashetty 6/3ED

21 Ms.

From:

R A Burns

M

Date:

4 March 1991

Cc:

Mr Short, PSD

Mr Dew, RMD

Mr Lee, Finance

Department

Mr Lewis, Travel

Centre, PSD Mr Davies, FED Mr Paul, HKD Mr Williams, Mr Colvin, SEAD

SAD

Mr Stump PSD

AUS TRAVEL BUDGETS 1991-92 : ASIA COMMAND

1. In response to your minute of 17 January, I attach my Departments' detailed bids for travel to and from Asia for the year beginning 1 April 1991.

2. As requested, the bids from each Department have been broken down between necessary and desirable journeys and listed in priority order. I cannot sensibly distinguish between the different Departments in this way, because they each deal with very different problems and parts of the world. Similarly, I have not sought to prioritise necessary travel: by definition it is essential. Some of it is only our best guess of the commitments that will flow from each successive overseas meeting. I should add that the requirements on the Cambodia and Vietnamese Boat People fronts are only conservative estimates: intensive international negotiations on either subject could well increase the demands for travel over the next year. I do wonder whether for such international marathons as Cambodia or the Hong Kong Joint Liaison Group negotiations it would make more sense in future years to set aside clear, discrete funding.

Like

3. I attach a summary of the bids from this Command. Mr McLaren last year, it makes sense to set aside a sub-category for my own travel, which is affected by what I can do in the company of Ministers.

4. You will recall that last year the Asian Departments were seriously underfunded at the start of the FY. This led to quite damaging cutbacks in travel in the early months, until it became clear that our situation was so intolerable that we were able to bid successfully for substantial extra resources. I am most grateful for your Department's understanding. We have made good use of the extra money you gave me in November and February. But I do hope we can start the next FY with a ore realistic budget.

A18AAK

Andrew Runn

R A Burns