TNAG-0826-FCO40-1034-Length-of-term-of-office-of-Governors-1979 — Page 2

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6. Your despatch has been circulated to all interested departments.here, and we have sought views on whether the 1973 decision remains valid. The general consensus is that it does, though there is no quarrel with any of the points you made. It was simply felt that the contrary arguments remain strong enough for it to be prudent to continue to set the normal tour at three years.

7.

Incidentally, the decision to limit tours to three years was taken quite independently of any consideration of what was the standard tour for Diplomatic Service officers serving in Embassies and High Commissions: it was a decision related entirely to what was thought appropriate in the circumstances of Dependent Territories. The standard Diplomatic Service appointment is in fact for two tours of two years each, though in many places the tours are shorter, depending on climate, difficulty of living conditions, political environment etc.

WE Quantrill

Hong Kong and General Department

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