RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 46
OF 07114OZ JANUARY 92
RESTRICTED
HKA CR0/1
68 157466
MDLIAN 5531
In Kiselts Good idea. Ter pl.
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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG and we give der Hanson
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FROM INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR
OUR TELNO 13: CHANGE OF GOVERNOR: PRESS COVERAGE
SUMMARY
1. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S RETIREMENT HAS CONTINUED TO
BE THE SUBJECT OF INTENSE PRESS INTEREST WITH ATTENTION FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE GOVERNOR'S RECORD DURING HIS 5 YEARS IN OFFICE, THE LEGCO DEBATE PLANNED FOR 22 JANUARY AND SPECULATION ABOUT
WHO IS LIKELY TO BE APPOINTED AS THE NEXT GOVERNOR.
DETAIL
2. PRESS INTEREST IN THE CHANGE OF GOVERNOR HAS REMAINED INTENSE
SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S RETIREMENT ON 30 DECEMBER. ANALYSES OF THE GOVERNOR'S RECORD IN OFFICE HAVE FIGURED PROMINENTLY IN THE COVERAGE, WITH MOST COMMENTATORS CONCLUDING THAT HONG KONG HAS BEEN WELL LED DURING FIVE DIFFICULT YEARS. A MING PAO EDITORIAL ON 5 JANUARY QUOTED A RECENT OPINION
POLL WHICH INDICATED THAT TWO THIRDS OF RESPONDENTS HAD A GOOD OR
VERY GOOD OPINION OF THE GOVERNOR'S RECORD IN OFFICE. THE PAPER ARGUED THAT DESPITE THE COMPLEXITY OF MANY OF THE PROBLEMS FACED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AND PARTICULARLY SINCE 1989, HONG KONG HAD COME THROUGH REMARKABLY WELL. MUCH OF THE CREDIT FOR THIS SHOULD GO TO THE GOVERNOR. A SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST EDITORIAL ON 1 JANUARY SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR'S MAJOR CONTRIBUTION HAD BEEN TO LEAD A QUOTE CARING UNQUOTE GOVERNMENT. THE WRITER SAID THAT THIS HAD BEEN A CONSISTENT THEME THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNOR'S FIVE YEARS IN OFFICE.
3. HOWEVER, NOT ALL MEDIA COMMENTS ON THE GOVERNOR'S RECORD IN OFFICE HAS BEEN POSITIVE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN CRITICISED FOR BEING INDECISIVE (SING TAO WAN PAO ON 31 DECEMBER) AND TOO WEAK IN DEALING WITH CHINA (TIN TIN DAILY NEW ON 31 DECEMBER).
4. A COMMON FEATURE OF RECENT COVERAGE HAS BEEN CRITICISM OF WHAT
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