TNAG-2602-FCO40-3790-Administrative-support-for-Chris-Patten--new-Governor-of-Hon-1992 — Page 33

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ADVISER WAS GOING TO HAVE FREQUENT AND DIRECT ACCESS TO MR. PATTEN.

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THE SOURCE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MR. PATTEN WAS UNDER

PRESSURE FROM THE FOREIGN OFFICE TO APPOINT A NEW POLITICAL

ADVISER FROM THE SENIOR RANKS OF DIPLOMATS IN LONDON. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE TERRITORY INVOLVED VERY CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE FOREIGN OFFICE, SOMETIMES ON A HOURLY BASIS. FURTHER, MR. PATTEN NEEDED A DIPLOMAT FAMILIAR WITH SINO-HK AFFAIRS AS HIS ASSISTANT, IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT HE HIMSELF WAS NOT AS WELL VERSED IN CHINA AND HK POLITICS AS LORD WILSON. SHOULD MR. PATTEN LACK DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT, HE MAY NOT BE IN A POSITION TO CARRY OUT HIS TASK AS GOVERNOR EASILY.

MEANWHILE, SOME LONDON SOURCES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE WERE STILL UNHAPPY THAT THE PLUM

JOB OF HK GOVERNOR HAD GONE TO A POLITICIAN. THEY THEREFORE EXERTED PRESSURE ON MR. PATTEN IN THE HOPE THAT HE WOULD APPOINT ONE OF THEM AS HIS SENIOR ADVISER. HOWEVER, SOME SOURCES FELT THAT INEVITABLY CHANGES WOULD BE MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

IF MR. PATTEN WAS EXPECTED TO USE HIS POLITICAL SKILLS

EFFECTIVELY.

A SOURCE INDICATED THAT MR. PATTEN WOULD SOONER OR LATER

FIND OUT HE COULD NOT ADMINISTER THE TERRITORY THROUGH MAKING

OCCASIONAL TELEPHONE CALLS TO THE PRIME MINISTER.

BESIDES, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT MR. PATTEN HAD EXPRESSED SOME OF HIS VIEWS ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF HK WHEN HE MET THE SENIOR EXCO MEMBER, BARONESS DUNN, LAST WEEK. HE WAS EXPECTED TO TAKE UP THE ISSUE AGAIN WHEN HE MET A THREE-MEMBER DELEGATION OF CRC UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ALLEN LEE THIS WEEK, AND UDHK CHAIRMAN MARTIN CEE AND MEMBERS OF HIS GROUP NEXT WEEK.

THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SEATS DURING THE LEGCO DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1995 WILL BE THE FIRST THING MR. PATTEN HAS TO DEAL WITH WHEN HE COMES HERE.

WILSON

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