G.F. 323
0003230
機密
CONFIDENTIAL ##
- 23-
than do most other European journalists.
She,
I believe, therefore, that if it is decided to intensify our public relations and information efforts in France the presence of a Hong Kong Government information officer in Paris would be particularly justified and should produce results. Initially this could be a temporary part-time appointment. Possibly an experienced French-speaking journalist like Marcelle Davies who is well known to the T.D.C. and knows Hong Kong well. or somebody like her should be attached to the T.D.C. office if at any time it is decided to establish one in France. In the meantime she should work out of her flat and maintain close liaison with our Counsellor for Hong Kong Commercial Affairs in Brussels and with the information side of the British Embassy in Paris. She would be responsible for stimulating media interest in Hong Kong and worthwhile visits to Hong Kong of persons of influence (and vice versa) and for placing source material provided by the European publicity unit which I have proposed should be set up in I.S.D.
74. The Paris Embassy was large, efficient and particularly anxious to help Hong Kong. They treat inward visits to Britain as a prime factor of influence in their own publicity progranime. Lists of such visits have been supplied to me (as they have from most of the other posts) and are available for reference in my office. The Embassy could assist us in distributing material to the French press if we supply information of Hong Kong/French interest - such as investment opportunities in Hong Kong. They offered to assist in publicising our participation in the Foire de Paris and the T.D.C. representative responsible for the Fair was put in touch with them for this purpose. The fact that they had no advance notification of this promotion was surprising to me and it seems, following enquiries on my return to Hong Kong, that an early request by the T.D. C. to Government to inform the Embassy had not been acted upon. In the future, correspondence with Embassies with a view to exploit ing their information services should preferably be handled by the proposed I.S.D. overseas information unit.
75. Joint television initiatives between Britain and France were mainly left to direct liaison between French Television (ORTF) and the B.B.C. This company to company liaison was greatly facilitated by the physical closeness of London and Paris. In Hong Kong's case much more government initiative will be needed to stimulate any television interest in Hong Kong. Jean Lenzi, the Tokyo correspondent of ORTF has visited Hong Kong under the auspices of the Hong Kong Tourist Association and a repeat visit from this important correspondent might well be encouraged.
76. A programme of visits from France should be initiated and I have suggested some provisional names at Appendix II. Obviously these would have to be reviewed nearer the time with British Embassies and our own representatives on the spot.
77. The Hong Kong Tourist Association office in Paris is particularly important, being our only representative office in France. They recently carried out an excellent Hong Kong publicity promotion with Warner Brothers in France, based on the distribution of a Hong Kong feature film in that country and this resulted in excellent and valuable press publicity for Hong Kong travel. But I would recom- mend, in view of the importance of this centre to the travel trade,
機密
CONFIDENTIAL #