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TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
TELNO 91
OF 06160OZ MAY 92
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING, HONG KONG
HONG KONG: PLEASE PASS COPIES TO COX (HKD) AND FISH CODA)
VISITING
HMOCS: PRESS LINE
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1.
WE THINK IT USEFUL TO HAVE READY A PRESS LINE SHOULD THE VISIT OF COX AND FISH ATTRACT MEDIA ATTENTION. NEWS DEPARTMENT HERE HAVE ALREADY HAD A NUMBER OF ENQUIRIES. OUR GENERAL AIM IS, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, TO MINIMISE MEDIA INTEREST. IF APPROACHED, THEREFORE, YOU SHOULD EMPHASIS THAT THE DISCUSSIONS ARE ONE STAGE OF THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR HMOCS OFFICERS AND YOU SHOULD AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO DETAIL.
2. WE BELIEVE THAT THE DEFENSIVE MATERIAL IN OUR TELNO 72 TO YOU IS STILL RELEVANT AND UP TO DATE. HOWEVER WE NEED A NEW OPENING GENERAL COMMENT AND PERHAPS AN AMENDMENT TO THE TIRET ON HOW OUR SCHEME TIES IN WITH HMG'S SCHEME FOR LIMITED COMPENSATION. WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING.
GENERAL BACKGROUND COMMENTS
EARLY IN APRIL HMG ISSUED A STATEMENT OF OUTLINE PROPOSALS FOR COMPENSATING MEMBERS OF HER MAJESTY'S OVERSEAS CIVIL SERVICE WHEN SOVEREIGNTY REVERTS TO CHINA IN 1997 AND THEY LOSE HMOCS STATUS. TWO OFFICERS FROM THE FCO AND ODA ARE CURRENTLY IN HONG KONG FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF ASSOCIATION OF HMOCS ABOUT THE OUTLINE PROPOSALS. THIS VISIT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF CARRYING FORWARD THE CONSULTATIONS.'
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WITH REGARD TO OUR TELNO 72, WE SUGGEST A NEW FORMULATION FOR THE QUESTION ''HOW DOES THIS TIE IN WITH HKG'S LIMITED COMPENSATION SCHEME? SURELY THIS IS DOUBLE BENEFITS?''
WE PROPOSE TO REPLY AS FOLLOWS:
THERE IS NO DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THE TWO SCHEMES AS SUCH.
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