TNAG-2420-FCO40-3522-Hong-Kong-Her-Majesty-s-Overseas-Civil-Service-(HMOCS)-poli-1992 — Page 37

CONFIDENTIAL

нка 23311

207

051700

MDHOAN 2418

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 598

OF 02160OZ APRIL 92

TOP COPY Q DIST?

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING, BTC HONG KONG

Pu

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR

PLEASE PASS COPIES TO MR BURNS AND COX VISITING

MIPT: HMOCS: DEFENSIVE Q AND A PRESS LINE

GENERAL BACKGROUND COMMENTS

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SERVING EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS IN HONG KONG WHO ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF AN ORGANISATION KNOWN AS HER MAJESTY'S OVERSEAS CIVIL SERVICE (HMOCS). THESE OFFICERS WILL LOSE THIS STATUS IN 1997 WHEN SOVEREIGNTY REVERTS TO CHINA.

HMG HAVE NOW ISSUED A STATEMENT OF THEIR VIEWS ON WHAT MEASURES ARE APPROPRIATE IN ORDER TO RECOGNISE THIS CHANGE AND TO GIVE THE OFFICERS CONCERNED ENCOURAGEMENT TO STAY ON AND WORK IN HONG KONG BEYOND 1997. THIS STATEMENT PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF HMOCS IN HONG KONG. THE RECENTLY FORMED HMOCS ASSOCIATION HAVE WELCOMED THIS MOVE AND HMG LOOKS FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTIVE CONSULTATIONS WITH ITS REPRESENTATIVES.

DEFENSIVE MATERIAL

WHAT OFFICERS ARE INVOLVED?

-

- THERE ARE ABOUT 700 IN ALL - MOSTLY IN THE POLICE FORCE AND IN THE ADMINISTRATION GRADE.

HOW MUCH WITH THE OFFICERS GET?

THIS WILL DEPEND ON THE FINAL DETAILS OF THE SCHEME, AND HENCE ON THE OUTCOME OF CONSULTATION. MANY FACTORS INVOLVED INCLUDING AGE OF OFFICER, SENIORITY, LENGTH OF TIME OVER WHICH ANY PAYMENTS ARE MADE AND OTHERS.

PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL