TNAG-2593-FCO40-3781-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 24

KÉPEKKEU

TU

SIK

LNMDAN 0183

CONFIDENTIAL

00 FCOLN

F

12

GRS 345

J CULES, DUSS FUR DIST ADVICE - AH 121255Z HMLNAN 7853

N TO FCOLN

MAY

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO

1277

OF 121055Z MAY 92

HKD 818/1

213

PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS FROM GOVERNOR.

NEW GOVERNOR: PRESS REPORTS.

Dist 190) adoised

1. THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS TODAY (12 MAY) CARRIED A PROMINENT STORY TO THE EFFECT THAT MR. PATTEN WOULD BRING THREE SENIOR ADVISERS TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE: A NEW POLITICAL ADVISER, WHO WOULD BE A SENIOR OFFICIAL FROM THE FCO, AND PRESS SECRETARY AND A PRIVATE SECRETARY. THE ARTICLE CLAIMED THAT THE NEW POLITICAL ADVISER WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERMINE THE STATUS OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND THAT THE MATTER WAS CAUSING INCREASING CONCERN AMONG HONG KONG OFFICIALS BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE CREATION OF THE NEW POSTS.

2. THE ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY JOHN ELLISON, THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS REPORTER IN LONDON. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY CONTACTS IN THE ORIENTAL DAILY HERE THAT THE ARTICLE WAS BASED ONLY ON LONDON SOURCES. SINCE THE CONTENT OF YOUR TELNOS 761-2 WERE SEEN HERE ONLY BY THREE PEOPLE (CS, SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE AND MY PRIVATE SECRETARY) AND I HAVE CHECKED WITH ALL THREE, I HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT THIS.

3. WE ARE TAKING THE LINE, AS I DID DURING MY VISIT TO LONDON, THAT WE DO NOT EXPECT MR. PATTEN TO MAKE ANY RADICAL CHANGES IN STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS ON HIS ARRIVAL AND THAT THE ARTICLE IS PURE SPECULATION.

4

M

I WROTE TO YOU ON 2 MAY ABOUT A SIMILAR ARTICLE WRITTEN BY DANNY GITTINGS IN THE SUNDAY MORNING POST OF 26 APRIL. THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS STORY IS VERY MUCH ON THE SAME LINES AS THAT IN THE SUNDAY POST, BUT GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE THINKING BEHIND THE ALLEGED APPOINTMENT OF A NEW POLITICAL ADVISER.

5. THESE STORIES ARE TIRESOME AND PRETTY UNHELPFUL IN LOCAL DOMESTIC TERMS. BESIDES STIRRING UP SPECULATION THEY ENABLE THE MISCHIEVOUS TO BUILD UP STORIES ABOUT MR. PATTEN SETTING UP A PERSONAL STAFF THAT WILL CUT HIM OFF FROM THE REST OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

6. ALL THIS POINTS TO MAKING A DECISION SOON ABOUT THE SORT OF LIMITED STAFF CHANGES MR. PATTEN HAS IN MIND AND THEN ANNOUNCING IT TO CLEAR THE AIR.

7. MIFT CONTAINS A TRANSLATION OF THE ORIENTAL DAILY ARTICLE.

WILSON

YYYY