TNAG-1000-FCO40-1231-Appointment-of-the-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-Sir-Edward-Youde-1981 — Page 52

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NEXT GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG

1.

You wrote to No 10 on 4 December, asking the Prime Minister to agree to the Secretary of State recommending Sir Edward Youde as the next Governor of Hong Kong. I understand that Mrs Thatcher has some doubts, partly based on gossip running down Sir Edward Youde. This is typified by the attached Atticus article in 'The Sunday Times' of 6 December, but I think that the Prime Minister has also heard it from other quarters.

2.

For this reason I thought it sensible to get a quick assessment from Sir Murray MacLehose. His comments are attached. I agree entirely with them. In particular you will see that he shares my view that the gossip is misconstrued and in many cases malicious. It is fed by the delay in reaching a decision. I am sure that the proposal to appoint Sir Edward Youde is the right one. I suggest that it might carry weight if the Secretary of State wrote personally to the Prime Minister on the lines of the attached draft, which has been adapted to incorporate some of the Governor's points.

Michal Vaces -

Michael Palliser

8 December 1981

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