031028Z
COMMENT:
CONSENTIAL FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY F C 0 TELNO 1671
OF 27090OZ MAY 91
PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
pa
Constit. (future)
Мив HM3 dalı
DEPUTY PRESIDENT:
LEGCO
AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE IT IN MIND TO APPOINT A DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF LEGCO, WHO WOULD BE APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, WITH EFFECT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW SESSION IN OCTOBER. THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT WOULD PRESIDE OVER ALL MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL EXCEPT MY OWN ADDRESS IN OCTOBER AND THE BUDGET SPEECH IN MARCH.
2. AFTER CONSIDERING A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE CANDIDATES, I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT JOHN SWAINE WOULD BE THE BEST. HE HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE OF LEGCO: IS A LEADING LAWYER: AND IS WIDELY RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR HIS BALANCE AND THOUGHTFULNESS. HE WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE ON THE JOB, BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG, EVEN THOUGH THIS WILL MEAN SOME CONSIDERABLE PERSONAL SACRIFICE IN TERMS OF HIS LEGAL PRACTICE. WE HAVE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT HE SHOULD STEP DOWN FROM THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AT THE END OF AUGUST.
3.
I SHOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THIS APPOINTMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DO NOT WANT THE JOB TO BECOME THE SUBJECT OF PROLONGED SPECULATION AND GOSSIP. ALSO ONCE THE APPOINTMENT IS ANNOUNCED, JOHN SWAINE CAN START PREPARING HIMSELF OPENLY, INCLUDING BEING IN TOUCH WITH RELEVANT PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. I SHOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S APPROVAL TO APPOINT MR SWAINE AS A MEMBER OF LEGCO WITH EFFECT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW SESSION (I.E. 9 OCTOBER). OTHER APPOINTMENTS WILL BE MADE NEARER THE TIME OF THE NEW SESSION.
AS THE NEW POST INVOLVES AN APPOINTMENT TO LEGCO, IT REQUIRES THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S FORMAL APPROVAL.
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WILSON
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