TNAG-2392-FCO40-3478-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 27

24-APR-1592 16:53

JAMES LEE

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TRANSCRIPT B

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CHRIS PATTEN MR.

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PC

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LONDON

24 APRIL 1992

QUESTION:

You do have some ideas you want to put to him on that?

MR. PATTEN:

I would not dignify the present structure of my thinking on that

subject by describing it as an idea but I hope that by next week I

will be having some more ideas and will be having things that I

can talk to Lord Wilson and others about. I repeat the fact that

I know that there is an outstanding civil service, public service,

in Hong Kong and I shall want to work very closely with them to

ensure that their morale is as high as possible because Hong Kong

depends obviously to a considerable extent not just on its spirit

of entrepreneurialism but on the quality of its public service.

QUESTION (BBC):

Mx. Patten, the Opposition have already raised the question of

whether you will be too close to Downing Street to be able to

defend the interests of the Hong Kong people. In a position where

it was necessary to defend the Hong Kong people against a decision

of Downing Street, which would you choose?

MR. FATTEN:

I have been listening to remarks on a variety of subjects by the

Opposition over the last few weeks and I am bound to say,

have been apparent, I have not agreed with them all.