TNAG-0694-FCO40-844-Inspection-of-Hong-Kong-Department-1977 — Page 115

AMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE

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MY Jesper G&GT K 270]

Mr Papi

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HONG KONG DEPARTMENT:

SHOULD IT REMAIN A JOINT FCO/ODM DEPARTMENT?

1. You will be aware that when Seychelles became independent on 29 June, the two ODM members of what was then HKIOD returned to Eland House. Nearly all the aid work undertaken by HKIOD concerned Seychelles. In accordance with Mr Morgan's report of 28 May on his inspection of HKIOD (Part II, paragraph 19), a

paragraph 19, anal body of Hong Kong aid work has been absorbed by what is now KD The work in question is of a purely routine character - it could probṛbly be done by a Grade 9 officer instead of the Grade >A who Low finds himself doing it and does not require ODM-type exps.ties. There is no question of running an aid programme for Hong Kong of the kind which operates in the case of most other dependent territories.

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2. HKD like its predecessor, continues to be known as a joint FC0/ODM lepartment and is, of course, shown as such in the Office Directory and the ODM's Staff Dist, etc. This means that the decentment continues to receive copies of internal ODM communications which are given a geographical Heads of Department distribution. Thepo La a steady flow of such paper. It is of virtually no

Latest to the department since, as I have said, the aid work on

Hong Kong, such as it is, is not of the kind performed in

geographical departments in the ODM.

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We do find ourselves involved with particular ODM departments un certain mauters affecting Hong Kong, eg the financing of s current study of labour relations; Hong Kong's access to loans from the Asian Development Bank; certain staffing mettera etc. The fact that we are described as a joint FCO/ODM department does not give us any advantage in dealing with the ODM on such matters. I believe that the relationship is much the game as that which sxists between a geographical department in the FCO dealing with Lon-dependent territories and its corresponding geographical department in the ODM.

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Given the fact that there are no longer ODM personnel in the department, that there is no aid programme for Hong Kong and that

fon vis-à-vis the ODM seems to be the same as that of rogeographical department in the FCO, we are wondering whether there is a case for HXD'à cessing to be regarded as a joint C/ODM department, The advantage would not have to send, and we would not have to receive, the flow of paper to which I have already referred. It may be, however, that there are other considerations which should be taken into account.

5.

My Morgan recommended in his report that, once responsibility for Gibra.. car was shifted to SED, the General, Administrative,

tal staffing sections, which constitute the remainder sheid te merged with the work on Hong Kong and the tw marthen re-styled Hong Kong & General Department. I under Sach

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