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CONFIDENTIAL
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55
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CONFIDENTIAL
SIC IAJ/A2C/Z2U
FOR SECCOS FROM CBF
Play 17/6
HK REACTION REPORT 3 ON FALKLANDS REACTIONS IN HONG KONG PD ONE GREATLY HEIGHTENED INTEREST IN HON KONG FOLLOWS RECENT DAMAGE TO THE LSLS PD WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY PUT OUT STATEMENTS ABOUT THE TERMS OF SERVICE OF HONG KONG CHINESE SAMEN SERVING WITH TASK FORCE INCLUDING THOSE NOT ON FORMAL CONTRACT PD THIS HAS UP TO HOW BEEN ACCEPTED BUT FACT THAT LSLS ARE LARGELY CHINESE MANNED HAS NOT BEEN RE FI STERED PD THE SYSTEM OF KEEPING NEXT-OF-KIN INFORMED WORKS WELL AND CAPICS STAFF HAVE THIS WELL IN HAND PD THE DIFFICULTY IS THAT INFORMATION SO FAR HAS BEEN INCOMPLETE AND NOT UNNATURALLY ALL RELATIVES ARE CONCERNED PD WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE FROBLEMS AND BELIEVE THEY CAN BE HANDLED BUT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF GREATLY HEIGHTENED INTEREST HERE AT ALL LEVELS PD SOME HONG KONG
PAGE 2 REMVAD 044 CONFIDENTIAL
SEAMEN HAVE NEXT OF KIN IN CHINA PD SURVIVORS FROM SHIPS LOST EARLIER ARE DUE HERE SHORTLY PD THE MEDIA IS GEARING ITSELF UP TO MAKE A BIG THING OF ALL THIS PD THE NATIONALITY BILL IS OF COURSE LIABLE TO BE BROUGHT INTO SHARP FOCUS AGAIN PD THE RATES OF PAYF COMPARISONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE
TO PD THERE HAS ALSO BEEN MEDIA INTEREST IN EMPLOYMENT OF GURKHAS PD THIS HAS BEEN ON THREE POINTS PD FIRST KERCENARIES SECOND COMPARABLE PAY THIRD REACTION IN NEPAL AS WIDELY REPORTED IN PRESS PD ON FIRST TWO POINTS WE HAVE PUT OUT FACTUAL BRIEF
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DRAWING ON FCO GUIDANCE THAT GURKHAS SERVING BRITISH CROWN ARE NOT MERCENARIES CMM ARE FULLY COVERED BY ENEVA. CONVENTION AND THOSE SERVING IN SOUTH ATLANTIC BEING UK BASED ARE PAID SAME RATES AS UK SOLDIERS PD ON THIRD POINT OUR EMBASSY IN KATHMANDU IS KEEPING US FULLY INFORMED OF ROBUST OFFICIAL NEPALESE POSITION AND NOTICAS PROCEDURES ARE SATISFACTORY PD-THE LATTER POINT IS IMPORTANT TO ALLOW AMBASSADOR TO INFORM NEPALESE AUTHORITIES OF CASUALTIES BEFORE THEY HEAR ON MEDIA AS WELL AS ALLOWING OUR PEOPLE IN NEPAL TO CONTACT FAMILIES WHICH DOES OF COURSE TAKE TIME PD ALSO WE DOF HAVE SOME CHILDREN AT GURKHA H1 FH SCHOOL HERE WHOSE FATHERS ARE SERVINE WITH TASK FORCE