16
SECRET
HKB 010/5
144773
MDHOAN 7160
SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 02003OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 2206
OF 311715Z DECEMBER 91
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Ми
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM RICKETTS, HKD
15
YOUR TELNO 3954: YOUR MEETING WITH LU PING: PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS
1. THANK YOU FOR SENDING US THESE PAPERS. IN THE TIME AVAILABLE WE HAVE CLEARLY NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONSULT MINISTERS. I SET OUT BELOW SOME VERY PRELIMINARY REACTIONS. BUT AS NOTED IN EARLIER TELEGRAMS ON THIS SUBJECT, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHOW THE PAPERS OR THE LINE YOU PROPOSE TO TAKE WITH LU PING TO LORD CAITHNESS UNTIL HIS WEEKEND BOX ON 3 JANUARY. YOU WILL THEREFORE WISH TO DEVELOP YOUR LINE TO TAKE WITH LU PING ON THE BASIS THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE FURTHER MINISTERIAL COVER FOR IT BY THE TIME OF YOUR MEETING WITH LU PING ON 6 JANUARY.
2.
THAT SAID, I DO NOT THINK THAT THERE WILL BE ANY
DISAGREEMENT AT THIS END WITH THE CAUTIOUS APPROACH SUGGESTED IN THE LATEST PAPERS. AS A GENERAL POINT, WE THINK THAT THERE IS MERIT IN TAKING THE ISSUES OF PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS AND THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE TOGETHER. THE QUESTION OF HOW THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE WILL BE GENERATED AND GROOMED/BRIEFED FOR THE JOB IS AFTER ALL RELEVANT TO THE QUESTION OF SELECTING A FIRST SLATE OF POST-1997 PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS. IF, AS SEEMS LIKELY, THE CHINESE ARE THINKING IN TERMS OF LOOKING TO FORMER CIVIL SERVANTS AS A SOURCE OF A FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CONSIDERING THE TWO ISSUES IN PARALLEL COULD IMPROVE THE PROSPECTS FOR ACHIEVING CONTINUITY AMONG PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS.
3 =
ON THE POLICY PAPER, WE AGREE AT A FIRST READING WITH THE ASSESSMENT OF CHINESE OBJECTIVES AND THE TACTICS WHICH THEY MAY EMPLOY TO ACHIEVE THEM (SOME OF THESE HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION UP TO 1997). WE ALSO HAVE NO REASON TO DISAGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT OF ATTITUDES AMONG SENIOR HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS. INDEED, THE POINT IN 8(C) ABOUT MOVES ON THE PART OF OF SENIOR LOCAL OFFICIALS TO FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH CHINA IS WORTH BEARING IN MIND IN CONSIDERING THE TIMING OF DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE ON
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