CONFIDENTIAL
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The change would mean a reduction in the proportion of Chinese to expatriate members of EXCO (though the Governor has said that he intends to redress this by
appointing a Chinese to replace Sir Sidney Gordon next year).
There is a reduction in the number of women in the
Councils, despite the fact that they are already heavily male dominated.
It may be, as the Governor argues, that this package is the best that can be achieved at the present time. But I do not think we should give our agreement to it without going over the field again with the Governor - we might, for example, ask whether he has given any consideration to the two candidates suggested by my predecessor in April (Mr Stewart's minute of 2 May). I therefore
recommend that this item should be put on the agenda for Lord
Goronwy-Roberts' talks with Sir Murray MacLehose on 19 July, and that the Minister of State should take the opportunity to stress once again the importance we attach to achieving an unofficial membership of the two Councils that is more broadly representative of the Hong Kong CCommunity as a whole.
W. E. Chamill
7 July 1978
Cc:
Mr Murray
for:
CONFIDENTIAL
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RJT McLaren
Hong Kong and General Department
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