RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 1969
OF 25070OZ JUNE 90
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PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
MY ABSENCES FROM HONG KONG
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1 I HAVE JUST RECEIVED A POD CIRCULAR ADDRESSED TO ALL HEADS OF MISSION AND GOVERNORS OF DEPENDENT TERRITORIES ABOUT ABSENCES FROM POST BY HEADS OF MISSION (FCO CIRCULAR 150/90 OF 6 JUNE). THE CIRCULAR GIVES GUIDANCE ON PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN CLEARING ABSENCES FROM POST/TERRITORY BY HEADS OF MISSIONS AND GOVERNORS.
2. AS YOU KNOW I HAVE TO TRAVEL FREQUENTLY OUTSIDE OF HONG KONG ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS (IN TOTAL PROBABLY SOME SIX WEEKS PER YEAR). I GUESS THAT THIS IS A RATHER LARGER TRAVEL REQUIREMENT THAN MY FELLOW GOVERNORS, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF MY VISITS ARE OF COURSE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF ABSENCES BY HEADS OF MISSION. YOU AND I INVARIABLY CLEAR OUR LINES ON OVERSEAS VISITS AS PLANNING PROGRESSES. I THEREFORE WONDER, WHETHER IT MAKES MUCH SENSE FOR US HERE TO TRY TO FOLLOW THE RATHER DETAILED BUREAUCRATIC PROCEDURES SET OUT IN THE CIRCULAR. UNLESS THERE IS SOME PROBLEM I AM UNAWARE OF IT WOULD SEEM MORE SENSIBLE TO CONTINUE AS WE HAVE SO FAR.
3. COULD YOU PLEASE ASK THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CIRCULAR AND LET ME KNOW.
WILSON
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MR MCLAREN
MR BURNS
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