TNAG-2421-FCO40-3523-Hong-Kong-Her-Majesty-s-Overseas-Civil-Service-(HMOCS)-poli-1992 — Page 113

CONFIDENTIAL

236

Reference..

HKA 233/1

Mr Stone o/r

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HMOCS CONSULTATIONS

2,014.

1. Mr Waters (Civil Service Branch) telephoned from Hong Kong this morning to say that the Chairman of the HMOCS Association had asked him to pass us a message about the distribution of the statement which I gave him on 7 April. Mr Cartland wondered whether we could reconsider whether it was necessary for us to ask HKG to send a copy to each member of HMOCS in Hong Kong.

2.

Mr Cartland had argued that with more than 500 members, an overwhelming majority of HMOCS officers in the territory had already joined the association. Leave absences might account for some absentees. The Association's general meeting had given the Committee a mandate to negotiate on their behalf. HMG had indicated that it recognised the Association as its negotiating partner on HMOCS matters.

3.

Mr Cartland felt that the statement would be understood at this stage only by those intimately involved in consideration of the issues. Others, particularly junior officers in the Police, would be likely to react in a negative way, flooding us and the Association with negative representations which would hinder a sensible resolution of the problem. There would also be a risk of disgruntled officers talking to the media, further complicating the question.

4. The Association Committee would therefore prefer that the full statement should not at this stage go to all HMOCS officers in Hong Kong. Instead they would propose to send to all HMOCS officers (not just those who have so far joined the Association) minutes of their last meeting, copies of the correspondence with Lord Caithness and a letter explaining that HMG had given the Committee an outline statement of their position; that this was broad-brush and raised a number of questions which the Committee would seek to clarify; and that thereafter they would arrange an early meeting of the Association to discuss the position. According to Mr Waters the Committee envisaged sending us their comments by our 24 April deadline, then sending both our statement and their comments (and perhaps an explanatory note) to all HMOCS officers with an invitation to attend an early meeting to discuss matters in preparation for our consultations in the week beginning 4 May.

As for the contract officers, Mr Cartland would be happy for HKG to ask the management of the Administrative Service and the Police to inform these officers that consultations with the HMOCS Association had now begun.

5.

CODE 18-77

ASHAIT

CONFIDENTIAL