TNAG-1000-FCO40-1231-Appointment-of-the-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-Sir-Edward-Youde-1981 — Page 50

Ps/Pus

TOP SUPY

9

GRS 210 DEYOU

CONFIDENTIAL

STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

DESK BY 150100Z

FM FCO 14143OZ DEC 81

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

TELEGRAM NUMBER 948 OF 14 DECEMBER.

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR

MIPT

1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF MESSAGE:

BEGINS

DEAR SIR SY

MKA.431/363/16.....

сп

WHEN I VISITED HONG KONG IN APRIL WE HAD A WORD ABOUT THE SUCCESSION TO MURRAY MACLEHOSE AS NEXT GOVERNOR AND ABOUT THE QUALITIES REQUIRED FOR THE POST. I FOUND IT VERY HELPFUL TO GET YOUR VIEWS. I THOUGHT I SHOULD NOW LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE DECIDED TO RECOMMEND TO THE QUEEN THAT SIR EDWARD YOUDE BE APPOINTED. AS YOU KNOW HE HAS HAD CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH HONG KONG FOR MANY YEARS AND IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH ITS CIRCUMSTANCES AND PROBLEMS. HE HAS OF COURSE BEEN DEALING WITH THESE IN THE FCO OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS, HE ALSO HAS FIRST-HAND AND LONGSTANDING KNOWLEDGE OF CHINA INCLUDING HIS RECENT POSTING THERE AS AMBASSADOR. GIVEN OUR CLOSE RELATIONS WITH CHINA OVER HONG KONG AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THESE WILL BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THIS ASPECT SEEMS TO ME A KEY ONE. THERE HAS, I AM AFRAID, BEEN SOME DELAY IN COMING TO A DECISION BECAUSE SIR EDWARD HAS HAD TO HAVE A FAIRLY MAJOR OPERATION. IN THE EVENT I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMPLETE SUCCESS AND HE IS NOW FULLY FIT. I AM SURE THAT YOU WILL AGREE THAT SIP EDWARD'S QUALITIES AND EXPERIENCE MAKE HIM BY FAR THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB.

SIGNED PETER CARRINGTON

ENDS.

CARRINGTON

Also at HARF / Yandelt

142

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PS/PUS

SIR E YOUDE

HD/HK & GD

CONFIDENTIAL