SECRET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TELNO 14
OF 11180OZ MARCH 92
SECRET
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, HONG KONG
(92
HKA 233/1 и
Pattu
13/3
[97
162314
MDHOAN 1251
TOP COPY Q DIST?
PERKING TELNO 344 AND HONG KONG TELNO 759: HMOCS: BRIEFING THE
CHINESE
WE HAVE AMENDED THE DRAFT SPEAKING-NOTE AS PROPOSED AND SENT IT FOR CLEARANCE TO THE TREASURY (TEXT IN MIFT). WE SHALL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS WE CAN INSTRUCT YOU TO USE IT (OR TELL YOU THAT WE NEED TO SUGGEST FURTHER AMENDMENTS). WE UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY BUT WE ALSO NEED TO CARRY THE TREASURY WITH US.
2.
ON POINTS OF DETAIL:
(A) HONG KONG'S CONCERN TO ADD A REFERENCE TO ADJUSTMENT OF PENSION SAFEGUARDS IN LINE WITH UK INFLATION HAS LED US TO ADD A REFERENCE TO UK PENSIONS LEGISLATION IN PARA 5.
(B) IN THE LIGHT OF HONG KONG'S PROPOSED ADDITION TO PARA 5(B) WE HAVE RE-ORDERED THE SECTION TO MAKE IT CLEARER.
(C) WE ARE NOT SURE WHETHER HONG KONG WANT TO RETAIN THE LAST
SENTENCE OF PARA 7.
(D) AS HONG KONG PREFER, WE HAVE DROPPED THE REFERENCE TO THE TRADITIONAL RIGHT TO RETIRE. IF THE CHINESE LATER RAISE THIS POINT YOU SHOULD REFER TO US FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REPLY.
(E) BY ANALOGY WITH THE REASONING IN PARA 3 OF PEKING TUR, OUR PREFERENCE IS TO MENTION THE STERLING SAFEGUARDS PROBLEM IN THIS FIRST APPROACH (PARA 5 (C)): HONG KONG HMOCS OFFICERS ARE LIKELY
TO RAISE IT PUBLICLY AT AN EARLY STAGE.
t t
(F) AS PEKING REQUESTED, WE HAVE AMENDED UKG' TO 'HMG''. (THE POINT IS THAT IT WILL BE REPRESENTATIVES OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM RATHER THAN ''THE BRITISH SIDE'' WHO CONSULT HMOCS OFFICERS IN HONG KONG.)
(G) THE COMMA WHICH PEKING WOULD LIKE IN PARA 2 DOES NOT APPEAR
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