UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE F CO
TELNO
1144
OF 250555Z APRIL 92
UNCLASSIFIED
VANCE UN
71
131452
MDADAN 7303
Mur latton,
27/4
PS/M. Patte 2014
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HKGO LONDON
RESIDENT CLERK PLEASE PASS TO RICKETTS, HKD
Peleath
Čicketts 27%~
APPOINTMENT OF NEXT GOVERNOR: MEDIA COVERAGE AND LOCAL REACTION
SUMMARY
1. YESTERDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF MR CHRISTOPHER PATTEN'S APPOINTMENT AS NEXT GOVERNOR WAS HEADLINE NEWS IN ALL MEDIA HERE TODAY. THE APPOINTMENT WAS GENERALLY WELCOMED ALTHOUGH WITH SOME DISCORDANT VOICES LOCALLY OR QUOTED FROM THE U.K.
2.
ALL NEWSPAPERS CARRIED DETAILED REPORTS OF MR. PATTEN'S
PRESS CONFERENCE: HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS CAREER: AND REACTIONS TO HIS APPOINTMENT BOTH IN LONDON AND HONG KONG. EDITORIALS AND COMMENTARY COLUMNS FOCUSED ON IT. IT WAS ALSO THE SUBJECT OF SPECIAL PROGRAMMES IN THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA.
DETAIL
3. THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME AT 1800 LOCAL TIME ON 24 APRIL JUST AS THE TELEVISION STATIONS WERE TO BEGIN THEIR EVENING MAIN NEWS. IT WAS GIVEN PROMINENT TREATMENT. THE APPOINTMENT DOMINATED THE NEWS IN THE PAPERS ON 25 APRIL. MANY HEADLINES NOTED MR. PATTEN'S PROMISE IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT HE WOULD QUOTE SAFEGUARD HONG KONG PEOPLES' FREEDOM, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY UNQUOTE.
4.
MOST REPORTS HIGHLIGHTED MR. PATTEN'S CAREER AND NOTED, AMONGST OTHER POINTS, THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE KEY FIGURES LEADING TO THE RESIGNATION OF MRS. THATCHER. HE HAD A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE FOREIGN SECRETARY. HE WAS NOTED FOR HIS WISDOM AND MODERATION ALTHOUGH HE LACKED EXPERIENCE IN DIPLOMACY AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HONG KONG
AND CHINA.
REACTION
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