CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1277
OF 121055Z MAY 92
CONFIDENTIAL
004020
MDHIAN 3861
১১
HKD 010/3
PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS FROM GOVERNOR.
NEW GOVERNOR: PRESS REPORTS.
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.
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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. 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
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