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131452 MDADAN 303
5. THE PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT WAS WIDELY REPORTED INCLUDING HIS POINT THAT MR. PATTEN WOULD HAVE A VITAL JOB TO DO AT A CRUCIAL TIME AND THAT ONE OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S HIGHEST PRIORITIES WAS TO MANAGE THE TRANSITION TO 1997 SO AS TO SAFEGUARD HONG KONG'S FREEDOM, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. MR. MAJOR WAS RELAYED ON RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG ON 25 APRIL SAYING THAT MR. PATTEN WAS A VERY ABLE MAN OF GREAT EXPERIENCE AND AN EXCELLENT NEGOTIATOR WHO WOULD FIGHT FIERCELY FOR THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WAS QUOTED AS STRESSING THAT MR. PATTEN WAS ONE OF THE FOUR OR FIVE TOP PEOPLE IN THE POLITICAL FIELD IN BRITAIN AND A PERSONAL FRIEND OF THE PRIME MINISTER. LABOUR'S GEORGE FOULKES WAS REPORTED AS NOT HAPPY WITH THE APPOINTMENT, SAYING THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO CONSULTATION WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. DAVID OWEN SAID THAT HE WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. MR. PATTEN'S APPOINTMENT WOULD BE A LOSS TO BRITAIN BUT WOULD BENEFIT HONG KONG.
6.
MANY PAPERS CARRIED A STATEMENT BY THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR IN LONDON CONGRATULATING THE NEW GOVERNOR AND HOPING HE WOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN CLOSE CO-OPERATION WITH CHINA TO ENSURE HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AS WELL AS A SMOOTH TRANSITION.
7. LOCALLY, THE MEDIA QUOTED MY STATEMENT WELCOMING THE APPOINTMENT AND SAYING THAT MR. PATTEN WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT GOVERNOR FOR A MOST IMPORTANT PERIOD IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY. FAVOURABLE REACTION FROM THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND OTHER OFFICIALS WAS ALSO WIDELY REPORTED.
8.
LADY DUNN ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT SHE WAS PLEASED WITH THE APPOINTMENT AND WAS SURE THAT MR. PATTEN'S TALENTS WOULD BE PARTICULARLY USEFUL TO HONG KONG. HIS DIRECT ACCESS TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN SECRETARY WOULD ENSURE KEEPING HONG KONG HIGH ON THE BRITISH AGENDA. MARTIN LEE (UDHK) WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE THOUGHT THE GOOD TIES MR. PATTEN HAD WITH THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR HIM TO WORK FOR HONG KONG'S INTERESTS. THE NEW GOVERNOR SHOULD UPHOLD THE JOINT DECLARATION AND SPEED UP THE PACE OF DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG. LEGCO MEMBER TAM YIU-CHUNG BELIEVED THAT MR. PATTEN WOULD BE MORE CAPABLE IN DEALING WITH CHINA. MOST OTHER LEGCO MEMBERS WERE REPORTED AS
MAKING GENERALLY FAVOURABLE COMMENTS.
9.
REACTION FROM ACADEMICS AND PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS SECTOR WAS ALSO GENERALLY POSITIVE. A PROFESSOR AT HONG KONG UNIVERSITY SAID THAT A POLITICIAN WOULD NOT NECESSARILY PUT BRITISH
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