CONFIDENTIAL
is aware, the Treasury are now treating all three issues as a package and so any help for current pensioners will have
to wait.
4. Given that Lord Grey is pursing SPOS, there is no advantage in deploying the language the Minister used in
July to reassure serving HMOCS officers that "HMG are in the process of drawing up appropriate arrangements for members of HMOCS in Hong Kong which recognise the change in sovereignty in 1997".
5. Lord Grey asks for a speedy conclusion to the SPOS
issue, or agreement in principle that HMG has an obligation
to protect Hong Kong HMOCS pensioners. We are not in a
position to say anything new on this at present. On the protection of pensions, if pressed, we may reaffirm our
adherence to the Carr-Robertson agreement of 1964. This states that HMG would ensure the payment of pensions in the
event of a default, and that should a pensioner find himself in financial difficulties, HMG would take appropriate remedial action. This position is well known to OSPA, so we see no point in volunteering it at this stage.
5.
Unsatisfactory though it is, I believe that we
cannot go further than a broad restatement of the position.
MVSAAD/2
CONFIDENTIAL
Mikl v Stare
M V Stone
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