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FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 01090OZ F C O

TELNO 617

OF 010457Z MAY 92

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

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Ra

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MDHIAN 2341

TOP COPY Q DIST?

FCO TELNO 722: APPOINTMENT OF NEXT GOVERNOR: MEDIA COVERAGE AND

LOCAL REACTION

1. WE HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO OUR EARLIER REPORTING OF INITIAL CHINESE REACTION TO THE NEWS OF MR PATTEN'S APPOINTMENT. IN GENERAL THE CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE NOT VENTURED BEYOND THE HOPE THAT MR PATTEN WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND STICK CLOSELY TO THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

2.

THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL. WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THE CHINESE TO CHANCE THEIR ARM UNTIL THEY HAVE SOME INDICATION OF MR PATTEN'S APPROACH TO HIS NEW JOB. IN ANY CASE THEY HAVE INDICATED CLEARLY THAT THE CHOICE OF THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG IS PURELY A MATTER FOR HMG.

MCLAREN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

14

HKD

FED

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

14

MR BURNS

1

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HKD 010/1

RECEIVEDIN REGISTRY

0.1 MAY 1992

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