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GOOD OFFICES FOR TRANSMISSION. WE WOULD HOPE THAT THE
ASSOCIATION WOULD OFFER WRITTEN COMMENTS ON OUR PROPOSALS BEFORE
THE CONSULTATIONS IN HONG KONG IN MID-MAY.
4. ONE VIEW HERE HOWEVER HAS BEEN THAT TO LEAVE THE HONG KONG
HMOCS OFFICERS WITH THREE OR FOUR WEEKS TO BBROOD OVER STATEMENT COULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO MANDATE THE COMMITTEE TO TAKE A MAXIMALIST AND CONFRONTATIONAL POSITION AT THE FACE-TO-FACE CONSULTATIONS, PRECLUDING ALL DISCUSSION OF OUR DETAILED PROPOSALS. AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH WOULD BE FOR A TEAM TO
GO TO HONG KONG AT THE OUTSET TO GIVE THE ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE
A COPY OF THE STATEMENT AND THEN HAVE A FIRST MEETING WITH THEM VIRTUALLY IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. BUT IN THIS CASE IT WOULD
PROBABLY BE NECESSARY FOR THE TEAM TO RE-VISIT HONG KONG SOME WEEKS LATER TO CARRY THE CONSULTATION PROCESS FURTHER FORWARD. UNDER OUR PREFERRED OPTION THERE WOULD ONLY BE ONE ROUND OF CONSULTATIONS: THEREAFTER DECISIONS WOULD BE TAKEN HERE AND
NOTIFIED TO MEMBERS OF HMOCS.S
5. IN SUCH AN OPENING STATEMENT WE WOULD NOT WISH TO GIVE FULL DETAILS ON THE PROPOSED SCHEME, SINCE THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO PROSPECT OF IMPROVING THEIR TERMS. WE WANT TO LEAVE OURSELVES SOME LEEWAY FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE HMOCS ASSOCIATION, NOT LEAST SO AS TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE THAT THE CONSULTATION PROCESS IS DEVOID OF SUBSTANCE.
6.
IN PARA 2 OF THE DRAFT WE REFER ONLY TO A MEASURE OF ''COMPENSATION RATHER THAN COMPENSATION FOR THE LOSS OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S PROTECTION AND, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, OF CAREER PROSPECTS''. WE ARE INCLINED TO THINK IT BETTER TO TRY TO KEEP IT RATHER VAGUE WHAT THE COMPENSATION COVERS, RATHER THAN TO INVITE ARGUMENT ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE MATTERS AT ISSUE.
IN PARA 3 WE WONDER WHETHER IT IS RIGHT TO INCLUDE THE REFERENCES TO MINIMISING THE COST TO THE UK TAXPAYER: THIS IS A REAL CONCERN HERE, AND WE NEED TO DAMPEN ANY UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AMONG HMOCS OFFICERS. BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO BE PROVOCATIVE.
8.
WE WONDER WHETHER TO EXPAND PARAGRAPH 5 SO AS TO INCLUDE MORE EXPLANATION OF OUR THINKING. A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE FORM OF WORDS IS: ''SUCH SCHEMES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TAILORED TO THE PARTICULAR TERRITORY CONCERNED. IN THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, WE ENVISAGE THAT AS THE BASIS OF CALCULATING EACH
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