TNAG-2602-FCO40-3790-Administrative-support-for-Chris-Patten--new-Governor-of-Hon-1992 — Page 71

REFERRED TO SIR J COLES FOR DISTRIBUTION ADVICE

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CONFIDENTIAL

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4. c. 16.

PERSONAL FOR SIR JOHN COLES, DUSS FROM GOVERNOR

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR NEW GOVERNOR:

EXPRESS ARTICLE

AS A PIECE OF BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE BEFORE YOUR VISIT LATER THIS WEEK, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT A LOCAL CHINESE PAPER, THE EXPRESS, HAS AN ARTICLE TODAY QUOTING RELIABLE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT BRITAIN INTENDS TO ESTABLISH A POST OF DEPUTY GOVERNOR WHEN A NEW GOVERNOR IS APPOINTED AFTER THE ELECTION. ACCORDING TO THESE ''RELIABLE SOURCES'' THE THINKING BEHIND THIS IS THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR WILL BE A POLITICIAN DEALING WITH ALL SORTS OF POLITICAL ISSUES, WHEREAS THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR WILL BE A DIPLOMAT WHOSE TASK IT WILL BE TO STRENGTHEN CONTACTS WITH CHINA AND PLAY A ROLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG DURING THE TRANSITION. IT IS ALLEGED THAT THIS SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY. THE FIRST DEPUTY GOVERNOR WOULD BE BRITISH. A LATER ONE MIGHT BE CHINESE.

2. YOU MAY WELL BE ASKED ABOUT THIS STORY WHILE YOU ARE HERE. LYDIA DUNN TOLD ME TODAY THAT HER NON-OFFICIAL COLLEAGUES ON EXCO HAD EXPRESS ALARM ABOUT THIS ALLEGED PLAN. THEY HAD REACTED STRONGLY AGAINST THE CONCEPT OF BRINGING IN AN OUTSIDER AS DEPUTY GOVERNOR AS WELL AS BRINGING IN A NEWCOMER AS GOVERNOR.

3. I TOLD LYDIA DUNN THAT, SO FAR AS I KNEW, THE STORY WAS SHEER SPECULATION. THERE HAD EARLIER BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT A DEPUTY GOVERNOR POST WITH THE IDEA THAT THE PERSON FILLING IT MIGHT GO THROUGH 1997 TO BECOME CHIEF EXECUTIVE. THIS IDEA HAD BEEN KILLED BY THE CHINESE IN 1989.

4. I TRUST THAT MY SCEPTICISM ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THE ARTICLE WAS JUSTIFIED.

WILSON

YYYY

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