TNAG-2597-FCO40-3785-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 67

CONFIDENTIAL

006205

MDHIAN 1260

8.

MR PATTEN FELT HIS VISIT PROVIDED HIM WITH A GOOD INTRODUCTION TO THE POLITICS AND ECONOMICS OF THE REGION AND TO AN IMPRESSIVE EXPRESSION OF THE CHINESE DIASPORA, WITH USEFUL INSIGHTS INTO RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA. LEE KUAN YEW'S CLOSE PERSONAL INTEREST WAS VERY EVIDENT. SINGAPORE MINISTERS SEEMED FLATTERED TO BE TAKEN SO FRANKLY INTO MR PATTEN'S CONFIDENCE AND RESPONDED TO THE INTEREST HE SHOWED IN THEIR OPINIONS. DESPITE THE ATTENTIONS OF A LARGE INFLUX OF HONG KONG PRESS, MR PATTEN WAS ABLE ALSO TO SEE SOMETHING OF SINGAPORE IN A RELAXED WAY. THE VISIT CONFIRMED AGAIN THAT WHERE THERE IS MUTUALITY OF INTEREST, POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC, SINGAPORE CAN BE USEFUL TO US. THERE IS A CLEAR DISPOSITION HERE, SUCCESSFULLY CONFIRMED BY MR PATTEN'S VISIT TO BE HELPFUL, WITHIN SINGAPORE'S MODEST LIMITS,

IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997. WE SHALL ENCOURAGE SINGAPORE MINISTERS TO TAKE UP HIS INVITATION TO SEE HIM WHEN IN HONG KONG NOT LEAST AFTER ANY VISITS TO CHINA.

DUGGAN

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ΜΑΙΝ

66

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

. (RESTRICTED)

DISTRIBUTION

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PLANNERS

RAD

SEAD

HKD

PUSD

FED//HD

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

NEWS D

PS/MR GOODLAD

PS/MR PATTEN

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

MR MASEFIELD

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