SECRET
SECRET
HKA 233/1
Рими
79
152443
MDHIAN 6027
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 09130OZ FCO
TELNO 733
OF 081441Z MARCH 92
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
MIPT: HMOCS: REVISED DRAFT STATEMENT FOR USE GALSWORTHY/GUO
BEGINS
·
1 I HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED BY LONDON TO BRIEF YOU ON SOME ASPECTS OF THE TERMS OF SERVICE OF CERTAIN EXECUTIVE OFFICERS SERVING IN THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE, WHO ARE MEMBERS OF HER MAJESTY'S OVERSEAS CIVIL SERVICE. HMG HAS AN HISTORICAL OBLIGATION TO MEMBERS OF HMOCS AND IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR HMG TO DISCUSS THIS SHORTLY WITH THE OFFICERS CONCERNED. MY AUTHORITIES WISH THE CHINESE SIDE TO BE AWARE OF THE BACKGROUND SO THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING. I THEREFORE WISH TO GIVE YOU THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
2. HER MAJESTY'S OVERSEAS CIVIL SERVICE (HMOCS) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1954 TO REPLACE THE SEPARATE BRANCHES (COLONIAL ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE, COLONIAL POLICE SERVICE ETC...) OF HM COLONIAL SERVICE. THE BRITISH COLONIAL SERVICE ITSELF DATES FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE 19TH CENTURY, WHEN FORMALISED RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES WERE ADOPTED IN LONDON TO PROVIDE STAFF TO SERVE THE VARIOUS TERRITORIES WHICH THEN COMPRISED THE BRITISH EMPIRE.
3. MEMBERSHIP OF HMOCS IS OPEN TO EXPATRIATE OFFICERS APPOINTED BY, OR ON BEHALF OF, THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO SERVE IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. WITH THE COMING OF INDEPENDENCE OR OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES WORLD-WIDE FROM THE EARLY 1960'S ONWARDS HMOCS IS NOW A RAPIDLY DECLINING SERVICE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW APPOINTMENTS IN HONG KONG ELIGIBLE FOR HMOCS SINCE 1985 AND TRANSFERS BETWEEN TERRITORIES ARE NOW RARE. IN HONG KONG THERE ARE 723 MEMBERS OF HMOCS. ALL ARE EXPATRIATE OFFICERS SERVING ON PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE TERMS OF SERVICE IN THE HONG KONG CIVIL
SERVICE. IN ADDITION THERE ARE AN ADDITIONAL 240 CONTRACT OFFICERS, APPOINTED BEFORE 1985, WHO HAVE THE RIGHT TO TRANSFER TO PENSIONABLE TERMS OF SERVICE AND AN ELIGIBILITY TO JOIN HMOCS.
4. HMG HAS HISTORICALLY ACCEPTED SPECIAL OBLIGATION TOWARDS
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