CONFIDENTIAL E
231926Z
CONFIDENTIAL
DEYOU
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 24010OZ HONG KONG
TE
692
OF3174OZ APRIL 92
AND TO DESKBY 24010OZ PEKING
HKA CRO/I
PEKING STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR HONG KONG STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
MY 3RD IPT: NEW GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG
1.
FOLLOWING IS MESSAGE FROM ME TO THE CHINESE FOREIGN
MINISTER.
BEGINS:
WHEN YOU VISITED LONDON LAST MONTH WE HAD A WORD ABOUT THE CHANGE OF GOVERNOR IN HONG KONG.
I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW NOW THAT THE PRIME MINISTER AND I HAVE DECIDED TO APPOINT AS THE NEXT GOVERNOR MR CHRISTOPHER PATTEN. MR PATTEN IS A SENIOR FORMER MINISTER WHO IS PARTICULARLY CLOSE TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND MYSELF AND FOR WHOM WE HAVE THE HIGHEST REGARD.
AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE APPOINTMENT WILL BE MADE IN LONDON AT 1100 BST (1000 GMT) ON 24 APRIL.
FOLLOWING THE RECENT ELECTIONS IN BRITAIN MY COLLEAGUES AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO IMPLEMENT THE JOINT DECLARATION ON HONG KONG AND THEREBY TO PROMOTE HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.
ENDS
HURD
YYYY
SIR J COLES
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/PUS
MR BURNS
MR RICKETTS, HKD
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