OCMIAN 0055
SECRET
OO HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
231745Z JAN
GRS 280
SECRET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 154
OF 231745Z JANUARY 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
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TOP COPY
SECRET
10055
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1
MKK 256/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
27 JAN1986
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
LREGISTRY
Action Taken
се
YOUR TELNOS 236-7: HONG KONG PUBLIC SERVICE: SENIOR APPOINTMENTS
1.
WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE WISE TO INFORM THE CHINESE OF
THESE DECISIONS BEFORE THERE IS ANY CHANCE THAT THE MATTER
BECOMES PUBLIC. WE SHALL HOWEVER WISH TO INFORM MINISTERS HERE
BEFORE ANY APPROACH IS MADE.
2.
WE THINK THE SPEAKING NOTE IN YOUR SECOND TUR IS BROADLY
RIGHT. HOWEVER WE HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE LAST THREE SENTENCES OF
THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. YOU WILL RECALL THAT DENG HAS AT VARIOUS
TIMES SPOKEN OF BRITAIN AND CHINA JOINTLY CHOOSING SENIOR STAFF
IN HONG KONG IN THE YEARS APPROACHING 1997. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO
WISH TO ENCOURAGE THIS CONCEPT, BUT EQUALLY WOULD NOT WISH TO
SPEAK TO THE CHINESE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY MIGHT FEEL FORCED TO
REVERT TO IT OR QUESTION WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING.
AS DRAFTED, THE
SPEAKING NOTE CARRIES THE CLEAR PRESUMPTION THAT THE HEADS OF
DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED AS THEY ARE NOW: THE
CHINESE MIGHT WELL FEEL THAT THIS PREEMPTS DECISIONS TO BE TAKEN
IN THE CONTEXT OF DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW OR LATER. WE SHOULD PREFER
TO REDRAFT THESE THREE SENTENCES ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES:
'FOLLOWING THE SIGNATURE OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AN
IMPORTANT TASK BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 WILL BE TO ENSURE
THAT THERE IS AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS
GAINING EXPERIENCE IN THE MORE SENIOR RANKS, WHO CAN BE
AVAILABLE TO FILL TOP POSTS IN DUE COURSE. THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE IS THE KEY AREA IN THIS
CONNECTION.'
HOWE
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