HKA 431/393/16
CONFIDENTIAL AND STRICTLY PERSONAL
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
15*2
Sir E Youde
PS/PUS
APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNOR : HONG KONG
PROBLEM
1
сп
Tels to the JPM
teen afieved,
脈川
Sis has
1. To arrange for soundings with senior Unofficials in Hong
Kong on the appointment of Sir E Youde.
RECOMMENDATION
2.
I recommend that the Secretary of State send a message to
Sir S Y Chung via the Governor on the lines of the attached draft
telegrams.
BACKGROUND
A -3.
Sir Murray MacLehose's letter of 30 November to the PUS drew
attention to the need for some form of consultation with the Senior
Unofficial, Sir S Y Chung. He suggested that the Secretary of State
might send a message to Sir S Y Chung telling him about the
decision and asking for reassurance that there was no local
objection.
B 4.
C
The PUS replied in FCO Telegram No 915 asking for the Governor's
comments on a message to Sir S Y Chung. This omitted any specific
request for comment on the proposal because of the need to maintain
the Secretary of State's prerogative on gubernatorial appointments.
5. Sir M MacLehose's reply (Hong Kong Telegram No 1982 of
4 December) agrees with the draft text but recommends that we should
be prepared to allow for some form of consultation in order to
avoid subsequent carping by Unofficials in Hong Kong. He asks
for discretion, if Sir S Y Chung does not simply agree to the
Also at MAPE/Yadele
CONFIDENTIAL AND STRICTLY PERSONAL
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
/proposal
3