TNAG-2216-FCO40-3183-Position-on-the-Executive-Council-of-Peter-Duffell--Commande-1991 — Page 21

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there is no functional need for CBF to be on ExCo. CBF attends the Governor's Security Committee, which is the main forum for discussion of security issues. He rarely

contributes to ExCo discussions.

- he wishes to minimise the likelihood of the Chinese having plausible reasons for associating the PLA Commander to be on ExCo post-1997.

4.

The removal of the Commander British Forces will require an amendment to the Royal Instructions (Clause II) which states that CBF shall be a member of ExCo. There is no particular difficulty in this, but it does mean that the

change may attract some attention. The Governor intends to explain this as a rationalization in keeping with the changing role of ExCo and the reducing size of the Garrison: he would emphasise that close relations would be maintained with CBF.

5. The MOD will be disappointed with this decision. The current CBF has told Sir John Coles in Hong Kong earlier this year that he did not think it wise for CBF to be taken off. The Governor appreciates the sensitivity of this with the MOD and has agreed that he will still send CBF all relevant ExCo papers and invite him to attend ExCo as and when necessary. There will then be no operational loss:just

a matter of face.

6. The Governor's arguments are persuasive. The only possible problem is that future CBF, may be less helpful on

and Hong Kong may start to toe the MOD line more: the present CBF has, for example, been firmly on our side that there is

TICADG/2

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