SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 2813OOZ FCO
TELNO 1050
OF 28120OZ JUNE 93
SECRET
1203
012217
MDHIAN 6675
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD.
FROM PS/GH.
60
233/1
YOUR TELNO 611: HMOCS.
1.
THANK YOU FOR DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED WAY FORWARD AND THE DRAFTS OF THE SPEAKING NOTE FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO USE
WITH THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND THE LETTER FROM MR. GOODLAD TO MR. CARTLAND. OUR COMMENTS FOLLOW SERIATIM.
2.
DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE.
WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE CONSTRUED AS AN INVITATION
TO SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FCO AND TREASURY POSITION, ALBEIT TO SPLIT MORE IN FAVOUR OF THE FCO MODEL. WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF THE ACTUAL MECHANISM USED TO OPERATE A STERLING PENSION
SAFEGUARD AND THE POSSIBILITY OF USING TRADITIONAL FULL COMPENSATION FACTORS FROM OTHER HMOCS TERRITORIES, THE FCO PROPOSAL IS THE BOTTOM LINE. WE COULD NOT ENDORSE OR RECOMMEND ANYTHING LESS. IN OUR ASSESSMENT THIS IS THE MINIMUM WHICH COULD HONOURABLY
BE PUT TO THE HMOCS ASSOCIATION IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE HMOCS ISSUE.
3.
WE WOULD THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THE FINAL TIRET OF THE
SPEAKING NOTE SHOULD READ AS FOLLOWS:
QUOTE: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS WORK TAKEN FORWARD TO SEE WHETHER WE CAN IN FACT REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITHOUT GOING TO OPD (K). BUT BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURES IN HONG KONG WE NEED TO
RESOLVE THIS QUICKLY. I HOPE YOU MIGHT ENJOIN YOUR OFFICIALS TO CRACK ON WITH THIS. UNQUOTE.
#1
.
4. THERE ARE TWO POINTS OF DETAIL. IN PARAGRAPH TWO WE SUGGEST USING THE WORDS ''ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS HONOURABLE AND LIKELY TO BE
SALEABLE IN HONG KONG
WHILST WE ACCEPT THAT WHAT IS SALEABLE WILL WEIGH HEAVILY WITH TREASURY, THE FUNDAMENTAL POINT IS THAT HMG SHOULD BE SEEN TO HONOUR THE HMOCS OBLIGATION IN HONG KONG AS IT
HAS IN ALL THE 42 OTHER HMOCS
TERRITORIES.
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