TNAG-1548-FCO40-2112-Future-of-the-Hong-Kong-public-service-1986 — Page 139

OCMIAN 0055

SECRET

OO HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

231745Z JAN

GRS 280

SECRET

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 154

OF 231745Z JANUARY 86

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

.

TOP COPY

SECRET

10055

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1

MKK 256/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

27 JAN1986

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

LREGISTRY

Action Taken

се

YOUR TELNOS 236-7: HONG KONG PUBLIC SERVICE: SENIOR APPOINTMENTS

1.

WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE WISE TO INFORM THE CHINESE OF

THESE DECISIONS BEFORE THERE IS ANY CHANCE THAT THE MATTER

BECOMES PUBLIC. WE SHALL HOWEVER WISH TO INFORM MINISTERS HERE

BEFORE ANY APPROACH IS MADE.

2.

WE THINK THE SPEAKING NOTE IN YOUR SECOND TUR IS BROADLY

RIGHT. HOWEVER WE HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE LAST THREE SENTENCES OF

THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. YOU WILL RECALL THAT DENG HAS AT VARIOUS

TIMES SPOKEN OF BRITAIN AND CHINA JOINTLY CHOOSING SENIOR STAFF

IN HONG KONG IN THE YEARS APPROACHING 1997. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO

WISH TO ENCOURAGE THIS CONCEPT, BUT EQUALLY WOULD NOT WISH TO

SPEAK TO THE CHINESE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY MIGHT FEEL FORCED TO

REVERT TO IT OR QUESTION WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING.

AS DRAFTED, THE

SPEAKING NOTE CARRIES THE CLEAR PRESUMPTION THAT THE HEADS OF

DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED AS THEY ARE NOW: THE

CHINESE MIGHT WELL FEEL THAT THIS PREEMPTS DECISIONS TO BE TAKEN

IN THE CONTEXT OF DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW OR LATER. WE SHOULD PREFER

TO REDRAFT THESE THREE SENTENCES ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES:

'FOLLOWING THE SIGNATURE OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AN

IMPORTANT TASK BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 WILL BE TO ENSURE

THAT THERE IS AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS

GAINING EXPERIENCE IN THE MORE SENIOR RANKS, WHO CAN BE

AVAILABLE TO FILL TOP POSTS IN DUE COURSE. THE

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE IS THE KEY AREA IN THIS

CONNECTION.'

HOWE

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MAIN

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HKD

SIR W HARDING

DR WILSON

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