香港總督府
GOVERNMENT HOUSE HONG KONG
PERSONAL AND
CONFIDENTIAL
+31/393/6
HKA 431393
R£%£1 € máð
INDEX
16 MAR 1970
NO d
LP. R.
す
stit
Der Secrty 1
-
13 February 1978
LABI
R.
a pus
Chief
@
See @879 file
Thank you for your letter asking me to stay on here instead of retiring this November. If this is what you and the Prime Minister want, naturally I will do it, and I am grateful for your confidence. As you say it will give me longer to work on one or two things here.
$5.
My only comment relates to timing. Your letter mentions 'next summer'. Please do not hesitate on my account to fix a date for my retirement that leaves whatever time you think desirable to appoint and train a successor. If my plans for retirement in November are to be changed, a month or two more or less next year would make no difference to me and my main concern is that the take-over should be tidy and successful and therefore not unduly rushed.
But it would be a help to me personally, and more important stop speculation here, if an announcement could be made fairly soon as to exactly how long the extension will be.
CC: HKPF MACLEHOSE
HKA 431)1
уп seanly
The Right Honourable Dr David Owen MP Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1
IA