TNAG-1329-FCO40-1756-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 161

SECRET

35706

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DD 310800Z HONG KONG

GRS 246

SECRET

DESKBY 310800Z

FM FCO 301930Z JUL 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1471 OF 30 JULY

PERSONAL FOR PS/S OF S FROM PRIVATE OFFICE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

ACCEPTABILITY: MONITORS

HKK04046.

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

3 1 JUL 1984

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

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Autna Taken

ло

Per

1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE ASKED THAT WE SHOULD GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THE NAMES WHICH EMERGED FROM HIS MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR. MR LUCE HAS DISCUSSED THESE AND OTHER

POSSIBILITIES WITH THE PUS AND OTHERS. THE FOLLOWING ARE THEIR

CONCLUSIONS.

2. LORD TONYPANDY, FOR ALL HIS EXCELLENCE, WOULD PERHAPS CUT TOO HIGH A PROFILE, AND MIGHT OVERSHADOW THE HONG KONG NOMINEE. MR LUCE ALSO HAS VERY (VERY) STRONG RESERVATIONS ABOUT SIR JOHN BOYNTON. HE WAS NOT A SUCCESS OVER RHODESIA. FURTHERMORE, THE PRIME MINISTER HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT SHE WOULD NOT WANT THE BRITISH NOMINEE TO BE ANYONE INVOLVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. 3.

THIS LEAVES SIR PATRICK NAIRNE AS THE FRONT RUNNER. HE WOULD BE A VERY GOOD CANDIDATE IF HE COULD BE PERSUADED TO TAKE ON THE JOB. IF NOT, THE FOLLOWING NAMES ALSO SEEM WORTHY OF SERIOUS CONSIDERATION (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF PREFERENCE):

I)

LORD THOMSON

-

WHO HAS ABOUT THE RIGHT POLITICAL PROFILE IF

A POLITICAL FIGURE WERE PREFERRED.

II) LORD HUNT.

III) SIR JOHN PAUL. MR LUCE BELIEVES HIM AS WORTHY OF SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. ALTHOUGH NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS THE OTHERS, HE HAS IMPRESSED THOSE WHO HAVE MET HIM, INCLUDING LORD CARRINGTON AND SIR MICHAEL PALLISER. HE WAS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED FOR THE GOVERNORSHIP OF RHODESIA AT THE TIME OF THE SETTLEMENT.

HOWE

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DISTRIBUTION

LTD

PS

PS|MR.LUCE

PUS

SiR. W. HARDING

HONG KONG.DEPT.

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