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RESTRICTED
96
150411
MDHIAN 2374
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1188
OF 01095OZ MAY 92
HKD 010/1
COPY
Q DIST?
199.
ра
pa po 1/
4/5
2B
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, HKGO LONDON
APPOINTMENT OF NEXT GOVERNOR: MEDIA COVERAGE AND LOCAL REACTION (1
MAY)
SUMMARY
IN GOOD COVERAGE THE MEDIA REPORTED THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN LONDON. ONE PAPER CARRIED THE RESULTS OF AN OPINION SURVEY ON THE GOVERNOR AND MR PATTEN. REACTION CONTINUED TO BE
GENERALLY POSITIVE.
DETAIL
2 =
THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN LONDON WAS GIVEN WIDE COVERAGE IN THE MEDIA TODAY. MANY REPORTS FOCUSED ON HIS REMARKS ON THE NEXT GOVERNOR, HIS VISIT TO PEEKING, AND HIS COMMENTS ON SPECULATION ABOUT CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION. THE GOVERNOR SAID MR PATTEN WOULD TAKE OFFICE IN THE
FIRST WEEK OF JULY AND HE WOULD LEAVE HONG KONG AT THE END OF JUNE.
THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS SAID THE GOVERNOR HAD WARNED HONG KONG PEOPLE
NOT TO EXPECT THAT THEY COULD USE MR PATTEN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRIME MINISTER TO INFLUENCE DECISIONS ON HONG KONG. THE GOVERNOR SAID
MR PATTEN HAD HIS OWN CONSIDERATIONS AND HAD TO CONSULT WIDELY BEFORE
TAKING DECISIONS. COMMENTING ON SPECULATION ABOUT CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION, THE GOVERNOR SAID THERE WAS NO REASON FOR CHANGE. BUT HE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON WHETHER MR
PATTEN WOULD BRING PERSONAL ADVISERS TO HONG KONG.
3. SING TAO DAILY CARRIED THE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY ON HONG KONG
PEOPLE'S VIEWS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE GOVERNOR AND THEIR VIEWS ON MR PATTEN. ON A SCORE OF 100, MORE THAN 90 PER CENT OF THE 600 RESPONDENTS GAVE 50 OR MORE MARKS TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS PERFORMANCE IN MAINTAINING HK'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. OF THESE SOME 20 PER CENT GAVE BETWEEN 80 TO FULL MARKS. RESPONDENTS ALSO HAD GOOD CONFIDENCE IN MR PATTEN. SOME 75 PER CENT EXPECT HIM TO GET 50 OR MORE MARKS. OF THESE, CLOSE TO 20 PER CENT EXPECT HIM TO GET BETWEEN 80 TO FULL MARKS.
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