TNAG-1000-FCO40-1231-Appointment-of-the-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-Sir-Edward-Youde-1981 — Page 59

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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 SIR EDWARD'S QUALITIES AND EXPERIENCE MAKE HIM

BY FAR THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB. ENDS.

5. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS DRAFT MESSAGE

BY 040930Z. IT IS PERHAPS WORTH MAKING ONE ADDITIONAL POINT NOW.

YOU WILL APPRECIATE THAT IT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR LOCAL

POLITICIANS TO BE CONSULTED ABOUT NOMINATIONS FOR GOVERNORSHIPS

IN DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. THE ONLY OTHER CASE IN WHICH THIS IS

DONE IS BERMUDA. IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT SIR

S Y CHUNG REALISES THE NEED TO KEEP CONFIDENTIAL THE FACT THAT

CONSULTATION IN HONG KONG HAS TAKEN PLACE. OTHERWISE DEMANDS FOR

SIMILAR TREATMENT FOR OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WOULD BECOME

UNMANAGEABLE.

CARRINGTON

LIMITED

HD|

+D | POD"

PS

PS/PUS

SIR.E.YOUDE SIR.A ACHAND

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