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lose their status in 1997 the future Consulate General would
be responsible for giving consular assistance to former BDTCS
who could be expected to take advantage of their eligibility
to transfer to BNO status. Mr Morris (NTCD) wanted to see the
paper spell out in more detail arrangements for transferring
passport work (as opposed to visa work) well before July 1997.
He envisaged a run-in period of about a year. During this
time British and locally-engaged staff might work alongside or
in tandem with the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
Mr Ricketts confirmed that such a run-in period had been
anticipated for passport work as well as visa work. This
would be an area that the MRS would need to look at in order
to determine precise requirements.
9. The committee noted that the Information Section was
already up to its planned strength Information Department
S
were not, under current plans, intending any regional
information role for the Hong Kong office.
10. The committee noted the Hong Kong Consultative Committee's
suggestion that there might be justification for posting one
legal officer to the future Consulate General. This question
would need to be looked at further with Legal Advisers.
11.
On communications, it was agreed that further
consideration was needed of the question of whether there
should be an active Communications centre in the Consulate
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Private notes are available after approval.