TNAG-0711-FCO40-877-Appointment-of-Chief-Secretary--Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 5

PRIORITY

GR 80

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER CAT A

HKA 431/393/7

Y NO. 51

- 3 JUL 1978

FM FCO 231706Z

CONFIDENTIAL

COPT

Hek 0014

RECENT

2 6 JUN 1978

INDEX

INDEX

PA

chor Take

PA

IND

P.Pin

The

201601 s

S

(20)

STAFF-IN-CONFIDENCE

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 486 OF 23 JUNE

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR

YOUR TELNOS 765 AND 766: HONG KONG APPOINTMENTS

DEFER

LABI

18) (19)

(21

1. WE DIFFER TO YOUR JUDGEMENT ON THE TIMING OF THE COMB- INATION OF THE POST OF SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS AND SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES. THE PROPOSED APPOINTMENT OF LIGHTFOOT AS

CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION IS ACCEPTABLE.

2. AS MURRAY EXPLAINED ON THE TELEPHONE THE QUEEN HAS NOT YET FORMALLY APPROVED ROBERTS' APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE. THERE IS NO CHANCE THAT APPROVAL WILL BE OBTAINED IN TIME FOR YOU TO ANNOUNCE ALL FOUR APPOINTMENTS ON 27 JUNE, SO WE MUST

ASK YOU TO DELAY ISSUING YOUR PRESS RELEASE. WE WILL

TELEGRAPH AGAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, HOPEFULLY IN MID-WEEO

OWEN

FILES

HK & GD (6)

NEWS D

OID

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

MR RUSHFORD

cc. HKA 373/393/4

!

CONFIDENTIAL