GRS 382
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM VILA 100338Z JULY
RESTRICTED STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
W27
p.w.
INDIN (J.S. CHAMPION)
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 208 OF 10 JULY 1975 INFO PRIORITY PARIS.
APPOINTMENT OF RESIDENT COMMISSIONER: YOUR' DEYOU TEL 156 OF 8 JULY.
1, I REQUESTED FRENCH RESIDENCY THIS MORNING 10 JULY TO INFORM ERIAU SOONEST AND AM ARRANGING FOR FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE BROADCAST BY RADIO VILA THIS EVENING. QUOTE MR JOHN S. CHAMPION, UNTIL RECENTLY HEAD OF THE GIBRALTAR AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE IN LONDON, IS TO TAKE OVER FROM MR ROGER DU BOULAY AS BRITISH RESIDENT COMMISSIONER LATER THIS YEAR WHEN MR DU BOULAY'S TERM OF OFFICE EXPIRES AND WILL BE ARRIVING IN THE NEW HEBRIDES SHORTLY AFTER HE LEAVES.
A BRITISH RESIDENCY COMMUNIQUE THIS AFTERNOON SAID THAT WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE NEW HEBRIDES HAD APPOINTED MR CHAMPION TO SUCCEED MR DU BOULAY. BOTH MR CHAMPION AND MR DU BOULAY ARE CURRENTLY ATTENDING THE MEETING IN PARIS BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND FRENCH MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEW HEBRIDES. UNQUOTE
AFTER BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE ON CHAMPION ANNOUNCEMENT ENDS QUOTE MR DU BOULAY, WHO HAS SERVED IN THE NEW HEBRIDES SINCE NOVEMBER 1973, IS TO TAKE UP A SENIOR APPOINTMENT WITH THE BRITISH DIPLOMATIC SERVICE. UNQUOTE.
FCO PASS INFO PRIORITY PARIS
BURGESS
FILES.
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
PDTD (4)
WED
POD
PCD
NEWS D
MR EDMONDS
RESTRICTED