SECRET
SECRET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 53
OF 15120OZ JAN 92
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG JLG
HKA 233/1
q
003153
MDHOAN 7936
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Mh Gx
Miss Wikimono ✓ for like
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM RICKETTS, HKD
PEKING PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR
UKREP JLG PERSONAL FOR PAUL
YOUR TLENO 94: HMOCS
1.
THANK YOU.
་
Jeck l
M
2.
ON THE QUESTION OF PRESSING AHEAD WITH THE COMPENSATION SCHEME ALONE, I KNOW THAT YOU DISCUSSED THIS WITH LORD CAITHNESS AND ANDREW BURNS ON 7 JANUARY, BUT I SHOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE REMAINS A STRONG SCHOOL OF THOUGHT HERE IN FAVOUR OF PURSUING TO A CONCLUSION OUR EFFORTS TO REACH AGREEMENT ON A PACKAGE (FCO TELNO 2204 OF 31 DECEMBER 1991). APART FROM THE UNDESIRABILITY OF LETTING THE TREASURY OFF THE HOOK ON STERLING SAFEGUARDS, IT IS ARGUABLE THAT SUCH A DECOUPLING WOULD FACILITATE SALAMI-TACTICS BY HMOCS OFFICERS, WHO WOULD FIRST CONCENTRATE ON WINNING IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PROPOSED COMPENSATION SCHEME AND THEN MOVE
WE
ON TO DEMAND FULL STERLING SAFEGUARDS. NEITHER LEG OF OUR PROPOSAL IS EASY TO DEFEND WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE OTHER. WOULD BE EXPOSING MINISTERS TO THE RISK OF HAVING TO MAKE A SERIES OF RETREATS UNDER THE CAMPAIGNERS' PRESSURE. BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING ALL THIS WITH YOU NEXT WEEK: (I IMAGINE THAT WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE YOU WILL WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE BROAD POLITICAL ASPECTS RATHER THAN THESE TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS). WE WILL FAX TO YOU OUR DRAFT OPTIONS PAPER
SHORTLY.
3. IT WAS HELPFUL TO HAVE YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE LIKELY IMPLICATIONS OF A DEFERRED OR NEGATIVE DECISION IN TERMS OF LOSS OF HMOCS OFFICERS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE POLICE. IS THE SORT OF MATERIAL WHICH WE CAN USE TO BRING HOME TO
THIS
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