TNAG-0830-FCO40-1038-Extension-of-term-of-office-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governo-1979 — Page 49

GR 300

YOU

CONFIDENTIAL

Ri FCO

141327Z MAR 79

HKA 431/393/6

2 0 MAR1979

13.

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TO FLASH HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NO 196 OF 14 MARCH

PA

P.P.

1. THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A LETTER, MARKED STRICTLY PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL, AND DATED 14 MARCH, FROM THE

SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR. ORIGINAL FOLLOWS EYFIRST See HRA 431 293/6 72. AVAILABLE BAG.

3)4

IN YOUR LETTER TO ME ON 13 FEBRUARY LAST YEAR, YOU

AGREED TO POSTPONE YOUR RETIREMENT UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 1979.

I HAVE NOW SPOKEN TO THE PRIME MINISTER AGAIN, WHO HAS AGREED

THAT I SHOULD WRITE TO YOU ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WE FACE IN

APPOINTING A NEW GOVERNOR IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

LEAVING ASIDE THE DOMESTIC ANGLE HERE, WE ARE AT A PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE MOMENT IN OUR NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH

CHINA. YOUR OWN VISIT TO PEKING WILL BE AN IMPORTANT HILE- STONE,

AND COULD OPEN THE WAY TO THE SOLUTION OF THE KEY

ISSUE OF LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. IT WILL BE

IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THROUGH ANY NEW OPENING IN A PERIOD

MEN THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP SEEM IN A HOOD TO MAKE

DECISIONS. BUT I DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE COMPLEXITY OF

THE PROBLEM, AND WE SHALL NEED TO RELY MORE THAN EVER ON YOUR GUIADANCE, EXPERIENCE AND JUDGMENT DURING THIS PERIOD.

WITH ALL THIS IN MIND, THE PRIME MINISTER AND I WOULD. DE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU FELT ABLE TO AGREE TO EXTEND YOUR TENURE OF OFFICE FOR A FIXED PERIOD, EG UNTIL APRIL NEXT YEAR. WE ARE ALREADY CONSCIOUS OF HAVING POSTPONED YOUR RETIREMENT TWICE, AND I AM FULLY AWARE OF THE PERSONAL INCONVENIENCE WHICH A FURTHER EXTENSION COULD

CAUSE YOU.

IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU REALLY CANNOT ACCEPT A FURTHER EXTENSION, PLEASE SAY SO FRANKLY. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU CAN AGREE TO STAY ON UNTIL NEXT APRIL, THERE WOULD BE OBVIOUS ADVANTAGE IN ANNOUNCING THIS (SUBJECT TO THE QUEEN'S APPROVAL) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY BEFORE YOUR VISIT TO PEKING.

OVEN

CONAA 431/2

LKFF /MACLEHOSE /FIRM.

DA.