SECRET
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE F CO
TELNO 3380
OF 29092DZ OCTOBER 91
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
6
111673
MDHIAN 9633
TOP COPY Q DIST?
HKB 011/12
PERSONAL FOR COX, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
CBF ON EXCO
1.
DURING MY RECENT VISIT TO LONDON, I RAISED THE QUESTION OF WHEN THE CBF SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM EXCO. I AGREED TO SEND A TELEGRAM SETTING OUT THE ARGUMENTS.
2.
CLAUSE II OF THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS STATES THAT THE CBF SHALL BE A MEMBER OF EXCO. HISTORICALLY, THE CBF OCCUPIED A PROMINENT POSITION IN THE HIERARCHY AND GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG. THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE. IT HAS FOR SOME TIME BEEN ANOMALOUS THAT A BRITISH GENERAL SHOULD SIT AT MY LEFT HAND WHEN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DISCUSSES MATTERS RELATING TO THE INTERNAL GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG. THE PRESENT CBF, LIKE MOST OF HIS PREDECESSORS, IS FIRST-RATE, AND I VALUE HIS JUDGEMENT. BUT, QUITE RIGHTLY, HE RARELY OFFERS ADVICE IN EXCO ON DOMESTIC ISSUES. IT WOULD BE THOUGHT ODD IF HE DID SO, PARTICULARLY BY THE NEWER MEMBERS OF EXCO WHO HAVE EMERGED FROM THE MORE POLITICAL AND REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM WE NOW HAVE.
3 SECURITY MATTERS ARE NOT GENERALLY DISCUSSED AT EXCO, EXCEPT WHERE THEY IMPINGE ON OUR RELATIONS WITH THE CHINESE (E.G. DEFENCE LANDS, POLICE TAKE-OVER OF THE BORDER) OR ARE OF PARTICULAR POLITICAL SENSITIVITY (E.G. THE DCA). THE MAIN FORUM FOR DISCUSSION OF SECURITY ISSUES IS THE GOVERNOR'S SECURITY COMMITTEE, WHICH MEETS REGULARLY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. CBF IS OF COURSE A MEMBER OF THIS. SO ARE A NUMBER OF SENIOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS INCLUDING THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AND THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE. THIS COMMITTEE WOULD OF COURSE CONTINUE IN EXISTENCE, WITH ITS PRESENT MEMBERSHIP, ONCE THE CBF HAD COME OFF EXCO.
4.
THERE IS THUS NO FUNCTIONAL REASON FOR THE CBF TO REMAIN A MEMBER OF EXCO, AND A PRESENTATIONAL REASON FOR REMOVING HIM. HIS PRESENCE ON THE COUNCIL ALSO PROVIDES A THEORETICAL PRECEDENT FOR
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