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FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1278
OF 12105OZ MAY 92
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004025
MDHIAN 3862
HKD 01013
PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS.
FROM GOVERNOR.
MIPT: NEW OVERNOR: PRESS REPORTS.
TRANSLATION OF A REPORT ON GOVERNOR-DESIGNATE CHRIS PATTEN ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS, MAY 12, 1992.
HEADLINE: PATTEN TO BRING THREE ADVISERS TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE. WITH POWERS REDUCED, CS TO HANDLE DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.
(JOHN ELLISON, LONDON) SOURCES IN LONDON HAVE REVEALED THAT WHEN GOVERNOR-DESIGNATE CHRIS PATTEN ARRIVES IN HK ON JULY 9, HE WILL BRING TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE THREE SENIOR ADVISERS. MR. PATTEN'S NEW POLITICAL ADVISER WILL SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERMINE THE STATUS OF CHIEF SECRETARY SIR DAVID FORD, WHO WILL BE LEFT IN CHARGE OF HK'S DOMESTIC AFFAIRS ONLY.
THE SOURCES SAID THAT MR. PATTEN WOULD SELECT A SENIOR
OFFICIAL FROM THE FCO AS HIS SENIOR POLITICAL ADVISER. HE WOULD ALSO HAVE HIS OWN PRESS SECRETARY AND PRIVATE SECRETARY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
THE MATTER HAS CREATED INCREASING CONCERN AMONG HK OFFICIALS. THIS IS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO NORMAL PRACTICE, THE STAFF OF THE GOVERNOR WILL BE PAID BY THE HK GOVERNMENT AND ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING WOULD REQUIRE APPROVAL BY FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THERE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE EMBARRASSMENT SHOULD THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DECLINE THE FUNDING REQUEST.
THE SOURCE ESTIMATED THAT CHANGES IN THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE THIS TIME HAD UPSET LORD WILSON, WHO HAD INSISTED THAT THE EXISTING SYSTEM IS SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
NEW GOVERNOR.
AT THE SAME TIME, MR. PATTEN'S BRINGING HIS OWN PEOPLE FROM LONDON WOULD AFFECT SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS IN THE SERVICE, SIR DAVID FORD ABOVE ALL. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE NEW POLITICAL
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