SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 50
OF 080745Z JANUARY 92
SECRET
160513 MDLIAN 5644
HKA 011/1
TOP COP Q DIST?
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD.
(15) HKB011/12 (1991)
MY TELNO 3855: CBF ON EXCO.
FROM GOVERNOR.
I HAVE BEEN THINKING FURTHER ABOUT THIS SUBJECT IN LIGHT OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THERE WILL BE A CHANGE OF GOVERNOR DURING
1992.
2. THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF THE CBF ON EXCO IS AN ANACHRONISM. SOONER OR LATER I EXPECT THIS TO BECOME A POLITICAL ISSUE LOCALLY. I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO DEAL WITH IT BEFORE IT BECOMES A MATTER OF PUBLIC DEBATE. WITH A CHANGE OF CBF THIS YEAR, AND ANOTHER ONE NOT DUE UNTIL PROBABLY 1995, WE SEEMED TO HAVE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY
3. NOW HOWEVER THERE ARE OTHER ARGUMENTS WHICH MUST BE ADDED. REMOVING THE CBF WOULD TRIGGER ARGUMENT ABOUT WHO MIGHT BE APPOINTED TO FILL THE SUPPOSED GAP (IN REALITY OF COURSE THERE IS NO FIXED NUMBER OF EXCO APPOINTMENTS). THAT IN TURN WOULD TRIGGER DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER UNITED DEMOCRATS SHOULD BE APPOINTED. WITH A CHANGE OF GOVERNOR THIS YEAR, I AM RELUCTANT TO ADD THIS ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TURBULENCE TO THE SYSTEM.
4.
?
A FURTHER RELEVANT POINT AROSE IN DISCUSSION LAST WEEK WITH SIR JOHN CHAPPLE WHO IS ABOUT TO RETIRE AS CGS AND WAS A PREVIOUS CBF HERE. HE THOUGHT THAT, IF A CHANGE HAD TO BE MADE, THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT FOR DOING SO AFTER A NEW CBF HAD ESTABLISHED HIMSELF RATHER THAN AT THE TIME OF CHANGE. HE FELT THAT MEMBERSHIP OF EXCO WOULD ENABLE A NEW CBF TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IF HE LATER HAD TO STEP DOWN, HE COULD DO SO IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER CHANGES TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL, HAVING ALREADY ESTABLISHED HIMSELF. I ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO THIS JUDGEMENT BY A FORMER CBF. HIS LINE OF THINKING WOULD ALLOW FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND A CHANGE BEFORE 1995 EVEN IF ONE IS NOT MADE THIS YEAR.
5.
UNLESS YOU SEE STRONG ARGUMENTS TO THE CONTRARY, I NOW
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