SECRET
72502
OCMIAN 2502
SECRET
DD 290100Z HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
281700Z OCT
GRS 1200
HKK
2405
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
31 OCT 1986
DESK OFFICER INDEX
BEGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 290100Z HONG KONG
TELNO 2405
OF 281700Z OCTOBER 86
MY THREE IPTS: PAPERS FOR OD(K)
FOLLOWING IS ANNEX TO PAPER ON THE GOVERNOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
BEGINS
CONSEQUENTIAL ISSUES
A.
1.
TIMETABLE
THE APPENDIX SETS OUT A POSSIBLE TIMETABLE FOR THE
CREATION OF THE POST OF DEPUTY GOVERNOR AND THE DELEGATION OF
POWERS TO HIM. IT SHOULD BE EMPHASISED THAT AT THIS STAGE IT IS
PURELY ILLUSTRATIVE. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND
THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR WOULD NEED CAREFUL DEFINITION AND PUBLIC
PRESENTATION, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE COMMUNITY MIGHT AS TIME
PROGRESSED PERCEIVE THEIR RESPECTIVE POWERS AS DERIVING FROM
DIFFERENT SOURCES OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY. WE SHOULD HAVE TO
ENSURE THAT THE INCREASE IN THE POWERS OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR WAS
VIEWED POSITIVELY, AS A BUILDING UP OF HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY,
RATHER THAN NEGATIVELY, AS A PRECIPITATE WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH
INFLUENCE.
2.
THE PERIOD OF OFFICE OF A DEPUTY GOVERNOR APPOINTED ON
THIS BASIS WOULD NEED CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. IT WOULD BE
CONDUCIVE TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION IF THE INCUMBENT DESTINED TO
OCCUPY THE POST IN 1997 COULD HAVE A TERM OF OFFICE WHICH
1
SECRET
1
42b