RESTRICTED
157466 MDLIAN 5531
8. THE FAVOURITE SPORT OF POLITICAL EDITORS IN THE PAST FEW DAYS HAS BEEN SPECULATION ABOUT WHO MIGHT BE APPOINTED AS THE NEXT GOVERNOR. MOST REPORTS HAVE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT OFFICIAL COMMENTS HERE AND IN LONDON TO THE EFFECT THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A LOCAL GOVERNOR. ATTENTION HAS FOCUSED ON UK POLITICAL FIGURES (DR DAVID OWEN, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE AND ERIC VARLEY) AND SENIOR DIPLOMATS (JOHN BOYD, SIR PERCY CRADOCK AND SIR ROBIN MACLAREN). A SUNDAY TELEGRAPH REPORT ON 5 JANUARY THAT SIR PETER DE LA BILLIERE WAS A CANDIDATE WAS GIVEN EXTENSIVE COVERAGE HERE ON 6 JANUARY.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
60
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
PUSD
HD/FED
NEWS D
DISTRIBUTION
64
PLANNERS
RAD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
ADDITIONAL
MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS
MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS
MISS NEVILLE-JONES CAB OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK NO.10
NNNN
3
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