PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FROM HONG KONG 1404302
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
R CONTIDMNI TAL RRONE
17 JAN 1972
NKK 22/5
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 33 OF 14TH JANUARY 1972.
FOR LEAHY FROM WATT.
ADOƆ DOL
LAST
REF:
NEXT
*EF:
26
TWO PRESS CONFERENCES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG, THE FIRST OF THESE WILL BE A BRIEF
19-4INUTE CONFERENCE ON ARRIVAL AT KAI TAK AIRPORT AND WILL BE HELD
IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM ADJOINING THE VIP RECEPTION SUITE. IT WILL BE ATTENDED BY BOTH LOCAL AND FOREIGN PRESS
CORRESPONDENTS AND BY LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION TEAMS
WHO WILL BE RECORDING AND FILMING DURING THE SESSION.
THE SECOND CONFERENCE WILL BE A LONGER SESSION LASTING FROM
30 TC 45 MINUTES AND WILL BE HELD IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM
IN THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT CLOSE TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
THE ATTENDANCE AT THE SECOND CONFERENCE WILL BE OF SIMILAR
COMPOSITION TO THE MEETING WITH THE PRESS ON ARRIVAL WITH THE
EXCEPTION THAT THERE WILL BE RATHER LESS LOCAL PRESS CORRESPONDENTS
PRESENT IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE CHINESE PAPERS
WILL NOT BE PUBLISHING ON THE FOLLOWING DAY DUE TO THE LUNAR
NEW YEAR HOLIDAY. THIS CONFERENCE IS LIKELY TO HAVE MORE EMPHASIS
ON THE FOREIGN PRESS BUT LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION VILL CERTAINLY
BE FULLY REPRESENTED.
AT THE BRIEF ARRIVAL CONFERENCE AT THE AIRPORT IT WILL BE
MADE CLEAR TO THE PRESS THAT A FURTHER CONFERENCE IS TO BE HELD
TWO DAYS LATER WHICH WILL EXPLAIN TO THE PRESS WHY THE CONFERENCE
IS LIMITED TO 10 MINUTES. THIS MEETING WITH THE PRESS ON ARRIVAL
WILL GIVE THE SECRETARY OF STATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A FRIENDLY AND WARM IMAGE AND TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT HE HAS
BEEN DOING IN BANGKOK AND HOW MUCH HE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING A LITTLE OF HONG KONG DURING HIS BRIEF STAY IN THE COLONY. HIS
REMARKS MIGHT EMPHASIZE BRITAIN'S CONTINUING CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE AND PROGRESS OF HONG KONG. ANY STATEMENT ON THIS SUBJECT MIGHT ALSO STRESS THAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT BRITAIN IS MOVING CLOSER TO
EUROPE THIS IN NO WAY LESSENS BRITAIN'S INTEREST IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS
CONFIDENTIAL
/THE OPENING
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