CONFIDENTIAL YOU
211007 L
CONFIDENTIAL
DEYOU / STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
FCO
DESKBY 21103OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 832
OF 20OZ MAY 92
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
FROM SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS
YOUR TELNO 1347:
1.
GOVERNOR-DESIGNATE:
SUPPORT STAFF
DINHAM HAS ACCEPTED THE APPOINTMENT ON THE BASIS OF THE STAFF GRADE B TERMS IN PARA 1(B) OF YOUR TELNO 1268. LLEWELLYN IS LIKEWISE CONTENT WITH THE TERMS IN PARA 1(C).
2.
MR PATTEN HAS THOUGHT FURTHER ABOUT HOW TO DESCRIBE THESE APPOINTMENTS. HE HAS DECIDED NOT TO DESCRIBE DINHAM AS 'PRESS ADVISER'. HE BELIEVES THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO DINHAM BECOMING THE CENTRE OF PRESS ENQUIRIES. WHILE HE WILL WANT DINHAM TO MAINTAIN LINKS WITH THE MEDIA HE SEES HIM MORE IN THE ROLE OF A PERSONAL ADVISER AND DOES NOT WISH TO TAKE A FIRM VIEW ON DINHAM'S FUNCTIONS UNTIL AFTER HIS OWN ARRIVAL. SIMILAR CONSIDERATIONS APPLY TO LLEWELLYN.
3.
WE AGREE THAT AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT IS DESIRABLE. I AM INCLINED TO THINK THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE HERE BY NEWS DEPARTMENT, IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION, RATHER THAN HONG KONG. OF COURSE, THESE ARE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS BUT IT WOULD SEEM ARTIFICIAL TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN HONG KONG WHEN MR PATTEN IS HERE AND IT IS HIS PERSONAL STAFF WHICH ARE IN QUESTION. DO YOU AGREE?
4
THE PROPOSED ANNOUNCEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWERS ARE
IN MIFT. GRATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENTS.
MR PATTEN AGREES THAT BOTH DINHAM AND LLEWELLYN SHOULD ARRIVE SEPARATELY FROM HIM AND PRECEDE HIM.
5.
6.
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO REPLY DESKBY 0900 FRIDAY, 22 MAY PLEASE SEND YOUR TELEGRAM PERSONAL TO ME. IF YOU CANNOT REPLY UNTIL NEXT WEEK PLEASE SEND PERSONAL TO PS TO MR PATTEN (AS I HAVE TO TRAVEL TO THAILAND AND CAMBODIA AT THE WEEKEND).
HURD
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SINGLE COPIES PS/PUS
CHIEF CLERK
SIR JOHN COLES PS/MR PATTEN
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CONFIDENTIAL/YOU