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on both days, and should be very grateful if he would agree to lead joint MOD-FCO teams at each session. I have already spoken to DROW, who has also agreed to be a member of the teams on both days; and I understand that FCO(Defence Dept) would wish to attend both sessions as well.
3.
I suggest that the other members of the teams hould be as follows:
Tuesday 18 November, 1630
Oman and Diego Garcia
D Ex
Wednesday 19 November,1030 (Hong Kong)
FCO-MED
FCO-EAD Sec(0)(C)
RP(Army) Gurkha matters/ AG Sec 1 7LEPS and LECS/ PL(SPP) ZLOA7
Med F&S 1/BMH Hong Kong RM3c /Sales/
FCO HKD Sec(0)(C)
The Wednesday team is a little large and unwieldy at present; if, in due course, we find that the Committee are less interested in some subjects than in others, it may be possible to stand some team members down. In the meantime, however, I should be grateful to know who would be prepared to attend from each division named.
4. The Committee have asked that each briefing should take the format of an "oral presentation" followed by a Q&A session. Since the Committee will (or should) have already read the written briefs, I suggest that the "oral presentations" should be confined to short restatements of the main issues preceded by brief introductions by AUS (DS), possibly as follows:
Tuesday 18 November
Opening statement: AUS (DS)
Oman
Political context: FCO(MED)
Exercise Saif Sareea:
DEX
Diego Garcia
Political context: FCO(EAD)
Wednesday 19 November
Hong Kong
Opening statement: AUS (DS)
Political context: FCO(HKD)
The Garrison:
DROW/Sec (0)(C)
RHKP:
FCO(HKD)
The DCA:
Sec(0)(C)
Future of Gurkhas:RP(Army)
The bulk of each briefing could then be devoted to questions and answers on subjects of particular interest to the Committee.
2
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