TNAG-2661-FCO40-3857-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-1992 — Page 78

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COMMENT:

RESTRICTED

MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG

TELNO 158

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PERSONAL FOR SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER FROM HUM, AUSS

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OUR TELNO 156: NEW CONSULATE-GENERAL: PRESS RELEASE

1. WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS PRESS RELEASE DURING YOUR VISIT TO LONDON YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO BE IN A POSITION TO DEAL WITH POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR OWN TENURE AS SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER AND, EVENTUALLY, AS CONSUL-GENERAL. AS YOU WILL

KNOW FROM EARLIER EXCHANGES WITH PMD, THEY FEEL THEY HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS ON THIS POINT. BUT WE HAVE AGREED WITH THEM THE FOLLOWING LINE, FOR USE IF THE QUESTION IS RAISED:

Q. WHO WILL BE THE FIRST CONSUL-GENERAL?

A. IT IS PLANNED THAT THE SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER IN HONG KONG WILL BECOME THE FIRST BRITISH CONSUL-GENERAL AFTER 1

JULY 1997.

Q. WILL IT BE MR DAY?

A.

WHEN MR DAY WAS APPOINTED SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER EARLIER IN THE YEAR THE FCO HAD IN MIND THE BENEFITS OF CONTINUITY DURING THIS CRITICAL PERIOD OF TRANSITION. OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS (IE PRESSED CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS

BUT

A. FORMALLY SPEAKING, HEADS OF POST HOLD THEIR OFFICE DURING THE QUEEN'S PLEASURE AND ARE NOT APPOINTED FOR A FIXED PERIOD. MR DAY DOES NOT REACH RETIREMENT AGE UNTIL 1998.

2. WE SUGGEST THAT YOU USE THIS LINE IF THE QUESTION IS RAISED DIRECTLY WITH YOU.

HURD

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