00 DO 1
GR 400
CYPHER/CAT A
FM BTC HONG KONG 131253Z
CONFIDENTIAL
J
DOT JANDUS
дот
NO DISTRIBUTION TRED(2) MKS PUND (2) PKRES L/1.
XEROX
TO IMMEDIATE D.0.1 TELNO.INDUS 8 OF 13 JAN 78.
NIR.
DLSK O INDEX
ملا
Hkx 116/1. Lee 1911773
PA
A
YOUR INDUS 7: PUBLICITY FOR HONG KONG POWER STATION PROJECT.
See 213
1. I HAVE JUST COMPLETED AN ALL DAY SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH CLP/ESSO AND WITH JEAFFRESON'S PUBLICITY COMMITTEE ABOUT YOUR
PROPOSED TACTICS AND STATEMENTS FOR THE PRESS.
2. THERE ARE LENGTHY SUGGESTIONS FOR AMENDING YOUR DRAFT BACKGROUND NOTE, SOME OF THE DRACFT ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS AND SIR LAWWENCE'S STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF CLP. I SHALL TELEGRAPH THESE TO BE ON . DESKS BY 0900 GMT ON MONDAY MORNING WHEN I HAVE CLEARED MY DRAFT WITH ALL CONCERNED.
3. YOU SHOULD HOWEVER KNOW THAT:-
(A) WE THINK THAT A TARGET TIME ON JANUARYY 17 IS NOT PRACTICAL AND WE PROPOSE SIR LAWRENCE SHOULD ISSUE HIS STATEMENT AT 1700 HONG KONG TIME ON THURSDAY JANUARY 19 (1.E 0900 GMT). THIS IS THE LATEST PRACTICAL TIME HERE. IT WILL TAKE THE FORM OF
NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS WITH A CORRESPONDING PRESS RELEASE AND
ADVERTISEMENT FOR PUBLICATION IN THE HONG KONG NEWSPAPERS ON
FRIDAY 20 JANUARY. THE NEEWS WILL OF COURSE BREAK HERE ON
THURSDAY EVENING'S TELEVISION NEWS.
(B) THE TEXT OF GEC'S PRESS STATEMENT (YOUR PARA.4(11)) IS
ACCEPTABLE. WE SUGGEST THAT IT BE RELEASED AT YOUR,
UNATTRIBUTABLE PRESS BRIEFING AT 1000 GMT, I.E ONE HOUR LATER
THAN SIR LAWRENCE'S STATEMENT. IT SHOULD NOT REPEAT NOT BE
ISSUED EVEN WITH AN EMBARGO BEFORE 0900 GMT BECAUSE EXPERIENCE
HAS SHOWN THAT THE PRESS HERE CANNOT BE RELIED ON TO RESPECT
EMBARGOES IMPOSED BY NEWS AGENCIES.
(C) I PROPOSE TO COPY EXTRACTS RELATING TO COAL FROM CHINA TO
PEKING FOR COMMENTS. I DO NOT THINK WE CAN USE THE FORMULATION
IN THE FINAL SENTENCE OF YOUR PARAGRAPH 6(7) AS IT IMPLIES THAT THE PRR, HONG KONG AND HMG ARE ALL POLITICAL ENTITIES. 1 SUGGEST SUBSTITUTING IT WOULD BE TO THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF ALL