CONFIDENTIAL
213
061446
MDHOAN 6041
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2105
OF 04170OZ DECEMBER 91
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM COX, HKD
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
HMOCS COMPENSATION INCENTIVE SCHEME AND PENSIONS
1.
HKB 233/1
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE DRAFT PROGRAMME WHICH WATERS (CSB) HAS FAXED TO STONE (HKD). WE HAVE SHOWN THIS TO THE TREASURY AND AWAIT THEIR COMMENTS. IT IS GOOD OF CSB TO OFFER TO MEET THE TEAM ON ARRIVAL AND TO LOOK AFTER THEM ON 8 DECEMBER TOO.
193
2.
IN YOUR TELNO 3708 YOU SUGGESTED THAT THE ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED ARE ONES OF PRINCIPLE WHICH WILL REQUIRE A POLITICAL RATHER THAN A FINANCIAL DECISION. YOU MAY THEREFORE WISH TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT IS DESIRABLE TO GIVE THE TEAM, PARTICULARLY THE TREASURY PARTICIPANTS, A HIGH-LEVEL INSIGHT INTO THE POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS WITHIN WHICH HKG HAS TO OPERATE AT PRESENT. THIS MIGHT MEAN MAKING THE MEETINGS WITH CS AND FS MORE SUBSTANTIVE THAN IS SUGGESTED BY THEIR BILLING AS COURTESY CALLS. (ALTHOUGH MRS BROWN IS ONLY AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY, SHE IS RESPONSIBLE WITHIN TREASURY FOR ALL FCO DIPLOMATIC WING AND ODA EXPENDITURE.) AT THE SAME TIME YOU WILL WANT TO AVOID ANY IMPRESSION THAT MINDS ARE ALREADY MADE UP AND THAT TREASURY IDEAS ARE NOT BEING GIVEN FULL AND SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION. MIGHT IT BE BETTER TO ARRANGE THE CALLS ON CS AND FS CLOSER TO THE END OF THE VISIT IF POSSIBLE?
3=
HURD
I AM NOT COPYING THIS TELEGRAM TO TREASURY.
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