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other British missions. Preparing for this role will be the
most sensitive part of the exercise. We need to reconcile
two conflicting objectives:
- not undermining the Governor as the single source of
advice to Ministers on Hong Kong issues until 1997. The
Governor is concerned that the development of the SBTC's
political role before 1997 would risk crossed wires and undermine the Governor's position. The Governor has
accepted that members of UKRep JLG should do some informal
political reporting on Hong Kong provided that this is copied to him. But he has seen a political role for the
SBTC as more sensitive.
-
Giving SBTC the tools he needs (in terms of staff and of
political contacts around Hong Kong) to perform effectively
as the Senior British representative in the territory after
1997.
The
14. The BTC have at Ministers' request, already made a
start in discreetly expanding their range of contacts.
BTC now has an information officer with a brief to promote
HMG's policies in Hong Kong (which are not always identical
to HKG's). Mr Heap himself has played a more visible role as SBTC. In part this is a natural consequence of the dramatic increase in major project business in Hong Kong, which has involved Mr Heap in frequent contact with the most senior British businessmen and bankers and in lobbying HKG
on behalf of HMG. Mr Heap has also widened the circle of
his entertaining, for example introducing visiting British Ministers to local Hong Kong politicians as well as to business figures. Mr Day should be encouraged to continue
this informal expansion in his areas of interest. This will
need to be done with considerable sensitivity to avoid any suggestion of undermining the Governor. It should be part
of the briefing process for the new Governor and Mr Day that
the British interest requires effective management between
them of this delicate issue.
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