TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 116

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155063 MDLIAN 1245

4. EXTENSIVE COVERAGE (12.8) WAS ACCORDED TO LEGCO PUBLIC SERVICE PANEL MEETING IN WHICH MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS POLITICAL GROUPS UNANIMOUSLY SPOKE AGAINST THE NEW POLICY. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, ANSON CHAN, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THERE WERE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTIES TO THE REQUEST OF PUTTING THE NEW POLICY ON HOLD AS IT COULD CREATE A PERIOD OF UNCERTAINTY WHICH WOULD NOT BE GOOD FOR EITHER LOCAL OR OVERSEAS AGREEMENT OFFICERS. ON CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE SIDE, MRS CHAN SAID THE POLICY WAS JUST AN INTERIM MEASURE AND THE CHINESE SIDE AND OTHER GROUPS WOULD BE CONSULTED IF A LONG-TERM POLICY WAS TO BE WORKED OUT.

5. NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG WAS WIDELY QUOTED 912.8) AS SAYING THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY CONSULTED PRIOR TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NEW POLICY. THE MATTER WAS JUST MENTIONED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE ANSON CHAN TO A DEPUTY HEAD OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT IN AN EXCHANGE MEETING IN JULY. THE CHINESE OFFICIAL AT THAT TIME HAD POINTED OUT THAT THE MATTER HAD TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE SIDE BUT HKG MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THE NEXT DAY. ZHANG CLAIMED THE CHANGE OF EMPLOYMENT:OYMENT CONDITIONS FOR EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS AFFECTED THE STABILITY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IN THE TRANSITION AND THE SMOOTH TRANSITION OF HK THEREFORE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE SIDE. FCO SPOKESMAN IN HK CHRIS OSBORNE SAID THERE WAS NO NEED TO RAISE THE MATTER IN JLG BECAUSE THE POLICY WAS ONLY AN INTERNAL HKG ONE WHICH WAS TEMPORARY AND WOULD NOT STRADDLE 1997.

6. EXTENSIVE COVERAGE WAS GIVEN (13.8) TO A JOINT MEETING OF 16 CIVIL SERVICE GROUPS IN WHICH MEASURES IN REACTION TO THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY WERE WORKED OUT. SPEAKING AFTER THE MEETING THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENIOR NON-EXPATRIATE OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION, JOHN LUK, SAID ALL CIVIL SERVICE GROUPS WERE AGAINST THE SUDDEN CHANGE IN POLICY. THEY ALSO CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT FOR NOT CARRYING OUT ANY CONSULTATION AND URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SCRAP THE POLICY. THE LOCAL CROWN COUNSEL'S ASSOCIATION WAS AUTHORISED TO GO AHEAD WITH PREPARATION OF INTRODUCING A PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL TO LEGCO TO BLOCK THE PROPOSAL. IT WAS DECIDED A LOCALISATION FUND WOULD BE SET UP TO FUND LEGAL ACTION TO BE TAKEN AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.

7. ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID (13.8) THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO INTENTION OF ALLOWING THE CHANGES TO SLOW DOWN THE PACE OF LOCALISATION. THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE AND HIMSELF WOULD BE DISCUSSING WITH HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WHERE LOCALISATION WAS CONSIDERED SLOW ON WAYS TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS. HE HOPED CIVIL SERVICE GROUPS WOULD NOT ADOPT ANY DRASTIC MEASURES LIKE INDUSTRIAL

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