DE YOU CONFIDENTIAL STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
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KONG FOR MANY YEARS AND IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH ITS CIRCUMSTANCES
AND PROBLEMS. HE HAS OF COURSE BEEN DEALING WITH THESE IN THE
FCO OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS. HE ALSO HAS FIRST-HAND AND
LONGSTANDING KNOWLEDGE OF CHINA INCLUDING HIS RECENT POSTING
THERE AS AMBASSADOR. GIVEN OUR CLOSE RELATIONS WITH CHINA OVER
HONG KONG AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THESE WILL BECOME EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THIS ASPECT SEEMS TO ME A KEY
ONE. THERE HAS, I AM AFRAID, BEEN SOME DELAY IN COMING TO A
DECISION BECAUSE SIR EDWARD HAS HAD TO HAVE A FAIRLY MAJOR
OPERATION. IN THE EVENT I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN A
COMPLETE SUCCESS AND HE IS NOW FULLY FIT. I AM SURE THAT YOU
WILL AGREE THAT SIR EDWARD'S QUALITIES AND EXPERIENCE MAKE HIM
BY FAR THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB. ENDS.
5. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS DRAFT MESSAGE
BY 040930Z. IT IS PERHAPS WORTH MAKING ONE ADDITIONAL POINT NOW.
YOU WILL APPRECIATE THAT IT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR LOCAL
POLITICIANS TO BE CONSULTED ABOUT NOMINATIONS FOR GOVERNORSHIPS
IN DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. THE ONLY OTHER CASE IN WHICH THIS IS
DONE IS BERMUDA. IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT SIR
S Y CHUNG REALISES THE NEED TO KEEP CONFIDENTIAL THE FACT THAT
CONSULTATION IN HONG KONG HAS TAKEN PLACE. OTHERWISE DEMANDS FOR
SIMILAR TREATMENT FOR OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WOULD BECOME
UNMANAGEABLE.
CARRINGTON
LIMITED
HD|
+D | POD"
PS
PS/PUS
SIR.E.YOUDE SIR.A ACHAND
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DE YOU CONFIDENTIAL STAFF IN CONFIDENCE