TNAG-2602-FCO40-3790-Administrative-support-for-Chris-Patten--new-Governor-of-Hon-1992 — Page 21

221027Z

REFERRED TO SIR J COLES FOR DISTRIBUTION ADVICE LNMDAN 5035 HMLNAN 8454

CONFIDENTIAL

DD

11OOZ FCOLN

FM H ON TO FCOLN

22093OZ N

GRS 293

CONFIDENTIAL

STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 22110OZ FCO TELNO 1395

OF 22093OZ MAY 92

3

PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS FROM GOVERNOR.

YOUR TELNOS 832-3: GOVERNOR-DESIGNATE: SUPPORT STAFF.

1. I AGREE THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE MADE SOON AND THAT THIS SHOULD BE IN LONDON. ONCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE, WE WILL USE THE SAME MATERIAL HERE IN HONG

KONG.

2. WE SHALL NEED TWO OR THREE DAYS ADVANCE NOTICE BECAUSE THE APPOINTMENTS MUST BE AGREED BY OUR PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND IT WOULD BE COURTEOUS AND SENSIBLE TO HAVE A WORD WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PSC BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE. FOR THIS PURPOSE, WE WILL USE THE CV FOR DINHAM AS IN YOUR TELNO 762. WE WILL NEED A BRIEF CV FOR LLEWELLYN AS WELL.

3.

I HAVE SOME SLIGHT RESERVATIONS ABOUT USE OF THE TERM ''PERSONAL ADVISERS'' IN THE TEXT OF THE DRAFT ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWERS. GIVEN DINHAM'S BACKGROUND, THERE MAY WELL BE SOME UNHELPFUL PRESS SPECULATION ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECRETARY/GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND THEORISING THAT HE WILL IN FACT ACT AS SOME SORT OF SUPER PRIVATE SECRETARY. HOWEVER, GIVEN MR. PATTEN'S WISH NOT TO DESCRIBE MR. DINHAM AS A ''PRESS ADVISER'' MATTERS WILL HAVE TO BE LEFT VAGUE FOR THE MOMENT. NEVERTHELESS IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO MAKE THE POINT IN BACKGROUND BRIEFING IN LONDON THAT ONE OF THE TASKS TO BE PERFORMED BY THE ADVISERS WOULD BE SPEECH WRITING.

X

4. ON A SEPARATE POINT, I WOULD PREFER THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT SIMPLY TO READ ''MR. PATTEN HAS NO FURTHER APPOINTMENTS IN MIND AT PRESENT''. THE PRESENT DRAFT WILL FUEL THE SORT OF SPECULATION THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DAMPEN.

5. A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TERMS TO BE OFFERED TO DINHAM AND LLEWELLYN IS BEING PREPARED AND WILL BE SENT TO YOU SOON.

WILSON

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HMLNAN 8454

Tress 2 June Gx. Lanks to Brief Ext

Dates 1427 Tech./

cv by Tel.