COVERING CONFIDENTIAL
UK, travelling to Hong Kong as and when required. But we expect that within a year he is likely to need to become Hong Kong based. The DS4 should arrive before 1 July 1988. He would be preceded by the DS7 who should be in post by 1 May 1988. Staff for the DS4 and
DS7 posts have been identified and informed of their postings. The temporary DS9 to assist with administrative preparations should join the BTC in about February/March 1988.
5. The JLG office will be located on Floors 3 and 4 of the St
John's Building, a modern office block close to the Hong Kong Government Offices on Hong Kong Island (Central). OED have
preparations in hand for fitting out the offices to our own
requirements. OED are also in touch with the BTC over staff
accommodation.
British Consulate-General,
Post 1997
6. We have already begun to consider our requirements for the British Consulate-General which will open in Hong Kong on 1 July 1997. At some stage we will have to discuss with the Chinese certain aspects of our future presence there, including acquiring suitable property (office and staff accommodation) which would be
retained beyond 1997. These discussions will be delicate. So far
we have with the Hong Kong Government tried to identify possible
prestige sites for the new Consulate-General. Our thinking on this is not very far advanced.
7.
What is clear is that the new Consulate-General when it is
operational will be one of the largest posts in the Diplomatic Service. It will take in most of the present non-military British Government operations in Hong Kong. In addition, its passport, immigration and consular section, currently handled on our behalf by
the HKG, will need to be very large, if, as we expect, most of the present 3 1/4 million Hong Kong British Dependent Territories
citizens take up the new British national status [British National
(Overseas)] available to them to hold for life. Initial thoughts
are that a total staffing level of about 50 UK based (the majority
DS staff, but not all) and possibly up to 300 locally engaged might be required.
COVERING
CONFIDENT AT
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