TNAG-2216-FCO40-3183-Position-on-the-Executive-Council-of-Peter-Duffell--Commande-1991 — Page 7

SECRET

5′′

The Governor remains of the view that now is the

right time to make the change. There have already been press reports querying CBF's position on EXCO. The MOD letter does not raise any new points. The suggestion that the CBF will be unsighted by this change is not convincing: the Governor fully appreciates the need to keep him fully in the picture. The MOD will inevitably be unhappy. But the key point is that in the more politically charged atmosphere of Hong Kong, the role of EXCO is changing and other ways of

keeping the garrison plugged into HKG thinking are

available. Ultimately it is the Governor's Executive

Council and we should give full weight to his views on its

make-up. I submit a draft minute to the Defence Secretary.

The Secretary of State might prefer to make these points

orally to the Defence Secretary in order to short-circuit

Departmental minuting. If so we could rapidly recast the

draft as a speaking note.

MVSAAQ/3

SECRET

Max

for

PF Ricketts