minista
CONFIDENTIAL
HICO 0714/1
FROM: P F Ricketts
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 14 July 1992
cc: PS/PUS
Sir J Coles
Mr Davies, FED
Mr
Hym
PS/MrGoodlad
Sitten 15/2
Aus 1717.
Private Secretary
HONG KONG: LORD WILSON'S VALEDICTORY DESPATCH
1. I submit a copy of Lord Wilson's Despatch of 3 July.
2. Lord Wilson describes the development of Hong Kong over the 30 years that he has known it, and in more detail over the five years of his Governership. He brings unique
experience to bear on this material and he sets out the achievements and the problems with great clarity.
There are
no particularly new insights: Lord Wilson indentifies the two main difficulties to be managed over the next five years as the increasing politicisation of Hong Kong, and a growing tendency on the part of China to interfere. On the
question of increasing the number of directly-elected seats
in LegCo he makes his own view clear that this an area in
which China can make futile what we wish to do: and that it
would not be in Hong Kong's interests to make unilateral
moves.
3.
I recommend that the Secretary of State should
acknowledge this thoughtful despatch with a personal letter
to Lord Wilson, and I submit a draft.
MAXAMV/1
JRB
CONFIDENTIAL
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