TNAG-2393-FCO40-3479-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 61

CONFIDENTIAL

28

HKA CIO/I

10 DOWNING STREET

M

Myrs old Pil in 2014 Myki

pa paju

ET MON

LONDON SW1A 2AA

From the Private Secretary 72.1

Dear Richand,

Ar Rights HICD

Rickett

PS/ or Goodlad

PS 1853

Sir Jones

のい

ли вчино

15 April 1992

20

59

با ما

THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG

I have written separately about Mr Peter Woo's call on the Prime Minister today, accompanied by David Davis of Johnson- Matthey. In the course of the conversation the Governorship came up. The Prime Minister asked for Mr Woo's views. Mr Woo said that he would not comment on individuals but would set out certain criteria.

Looking for a free lunch and

Siesta?

M

1

These were:

i.

The Governor should not be someone who had finished his career and was looking for a retirement job.

If you took the hours of the day between sunrise and sunset, the Governor should be somebody who was at a point in life. somewhere before 12 noon.

ii.

The Governor should be a politician, not a

bureaucrat.

iii. He should be somebody who could cut through the Hong Kong civil service structure. He would need determination, judgement and will. He should be a man of energy and stature within the Conservative Party. Someone who could do things under difficult circumstances. It was also very important that the Prime Minister demonstrate that he felt the job was something of importance.

The Prime Minister agreed that the Governor must be someone who was known to have direct access to him.

Mr Davis thought that personal involvement by the Prime Minister in the presentation of the new Governor, e.g. in making the announcement, would be very important. He welcomed the appointment of Alastair Goodlad. This would be seen as very good news in Hong Kong. The United Kingdom had a real opportunity to use Hong Kong as a spearhead into China, which was set to become a real force in the world. Mr Woo agreed. China was on an irreversible track. Events like Tiananmen Square were part of the peaks and valleys. They did not affect the overall trend.

Jan,

Stephen

J S WALL

Richard Gozney Esq

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

CONFIDENTIAL