TNAG-0428-FCO40-493-Appointments-of-senior-officers-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 26

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6.

The annex is in two parts. List A contains those posts which we think should, in all circumstances, be occupied by someone of U.K. origin.

7.

List B contains those posts which should, if possible, be occupied by officers of U.K. origin. The holders of the posts in Part 1 of List B are included mainly because they are likely to act for the holder of a post in List A.

8.

Part 2 of List B contains those posts which ought to be occupied by a U.K. officer because a local officer would be subject to various pressures and cross currents (not necessarily of a security nature) which might reduce his effectiveness and reliability.

9. We think that it is acceptable for a local officer to act in posts in List B, when the substantive U.K. holder of the office is on leave. The substantive holders of offices in List B all take annual leave, so that the local officer would only be acting for 6/8 weeks at the most. During this relatively short period, particularly sensitive material could be diverted from the holder of the office, if necessary.

10.

We have been relieved to find that the problem is really more manageable than we had earlier feared, assuming that we find a sufficient number of Chinese officers who can be positively vetted and so available for all the senior posts in the Public Service, with the exception of the small number listed in the annex.

even

Your Deny

(D.T.E. Roberts) Colonial (Secretary

tary

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