TNAG-2216-FCO40-3183-Position-on-the-Executive-Council-of-Peter-Duffell--Commande-1991 — Page 37

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THE INCLUSION OF THE PLA COMMANDER AFTER 1997. THIS IS, ON THE FACE OF IT, RULED OUT BY ARTICLE 55 OF THE BASIC LAW, WHICH STATES THAT MEMBERS OF THE SAR EXCO SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE FROM AMONG THE PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS OF THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES, MEMBERS OF LEGCO AND PUBLIC FIGURES. BUT THE CHINESE MAY BE TEMPTED TO HAVE THE PLA COMMANDER ON EXCO. WHETHER OR NOT THE CBF IS STILL ON EXCO AT THAT TIME IS NOT

LIKELY TO BE AN OVER-RIDING FACTOR IN THEIR DECISION. BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, HIS PRESENCE PRIOR TO 1997 WOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH A

BASIS FOR ARGUING THAT THE PLA COMMANDER SHOULD CONTINUE TO

PERFORM THE SAME ROLE. WE SHALL NOT GIVE THEM THIS OPPORTUNITY.

5.

TAKING THE CBF OFF EXCO IS NOT LIKELY TO BE SEEN IN HONG

KONG AS A PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT MOVE. THOSE WHO THINK ABOUT SUCH MATTER WOULD TEND TO SEE HIS PRESENCE AS AN ANACHRONISM, AND A CHANGE AS LONG OVERDUE. IT IS JUST POSSIBLE THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME WHO WOULD SEE THE MOVE AS HMG REDUCING ITS DIRECT LINK WITH HONG KONG. BUT I DOUBT IF THIS WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL VIEW LOCALLY. IT IS MUCH MORE LIKELY THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND THE POLITICAL COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, WILL SEE THIS AS A NATURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOLLOWING ON FROM THE CBF'S WITHDRAWAL FROM LEGCO

SOME YEARS AGO. THE CHINESE MAY BE SUSPICIOUS AS TO THE MOTIVES

FOR THIS ACTION. BUT THEY WOULD HAVE NO GROUNDS ON WHICH TO

COMPLAIN ABOUT IT.

6. I AM AWARE THAT SUCCESSIVE CBFS, AND THE MOD, HAVE ATTACHED CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THE CBF'S MEMBERSHIP OF EXCO. APART

FROM THE INTANGIBLE ELEMENT OF PRESTIGE INVOLVED, THEY SEE IT AS KEEPING THEM INFORMED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN HONG KONG AND

MAINTAINING A HIGH LEVEL LINK BETWEEN THE GARRISON AND THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES. THESE LINKS ARE IMPORTANT. WE WOULD HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE MAINTAINED. APART FROM GSC, I INTEND THAT CBF SHOULD CONTINUE TO ATTEND, AS HE DOES NOW, MY WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS, AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE REGULAR SEPARATE MEETINGS WITH HIM. THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE REGULAR DAY-TO-DAY CONTACTS BETWEEN HIS STAFF AND MEMBERS OF SECURITY BRANCH, THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE IN ANY WAY AFFECTED.

7. I HAD PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT THAT THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR TAKING THE CBF OFF EXCO WOULD BE IF THE POST WAS DOWN-GRADED AS A RESULT OF THE RUN-DOWN OF THE GARRISON. HOWEVER, I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT MOD INTEND TO MAINTAIN THE POST AT THE SAME RANK UNTIL 1997. THE OTHER LOGICAL TIME FOR A CHANGE IS WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE OF

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