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(c) whether to make a bid for discussion in Cabinet Committee before Mr Patten leaves for Hong Kong. (There is
a meeting of OD(K) called for 7 July. I understand the agenda is Gilbrater. But we could put in a bid for HMOCS if
the Secretary of State agreed.)
Substance
3.
Before addressing specific points, it would be useful to
have a Ministerial steer on the relative priority of the Government's different objectives in making arrangements for
HMOCS:
(a) fulfilling a long-standing obligation of successive
Governments;
(b) avoiding a political storm about any apparent reneging
on such a commitment;
(c) inducing HMOCS members to stay in Hong Kong at least
until 30 June 1997, and maintaining their morale, loyalty
and sense of commitment until that date;
(d) inducing HMOCS members to stay for a shorter or longer
period after 30 June 1997, with good morale and sense of
commitment, in order to contribute to a smooth transition;
(e) winning Chinese goodwill and cooperation on other civil
service issues relevant to a smooth transition;
(f) minimizing the risk that the Chinese will renege on
their Joint Declaration commitments to the civil service;
(g) ensuring that HMG are in the best possible position to
respond if the Chinese do renege on the JD commitments, eg:
possibility of transferring funds from HKG to HMG to meet HMOCS pensions commitments if Chinese announce their
intentions before 1997;
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ability to draw clear lines between HMOCS and other civil servants, with HMG taking responsibility only for HMOCS;
(h) avoiding HMOCS arrangements' damaging morale etc among
local civil servants.
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