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CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY #50830 Z
CONFIDENTAL
FM HONG KONG #58255Z JUL 82
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 711 OF 5 JULY
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
FOR NO. 10 PRESS OFFICE
GIA
YOUR TELNO 261 TO PÉXING : PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT
ROR $1. Hik orb/5
THERE IS NO HONG KONG CORRESPONDENT, EITHER HERE OR IN LONDON, OF SUFFICIENT STATUS TO WARRANT AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE PRIME MINISTER.
2. WE ALSO SEE DIFFICULTIES ABOUT THE PROPOSALS FOR GROUP INTERVIEWS. HONG KONG HAS OVER 78 NEWSPAPERS AND ANY PROPOSAL TO HOLD A SMALL GROUP INTERVIEW WILL GIVE RISE TO STRONG PRESSURE FOR ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS FROM THOSE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL GROUP: IF CORRESPONDENTS OF HONG KONG NEWSPAPERS IN LONDON ARE GIVEN AN EXCLUSIVE THERE WILL ALSO BE COMPLAINTS OF FAVOURITISM
FROM THE LOCAL PRESS HERE.
3. THERE ARE ADDITIONAL REASONS, WHICH I HAVE ASKED THE FCO TO EXPLAIN, WHICH ARGUE AGAINST THE PM GIVING INTERVIEWS TO HONG KONG
CORRESPONDENTS BEFORE HER VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG.
YOUDE
LIMITED
NEWS O
FED
HRGO
INFORMAMOND
PS/PUS
MR GIFFARO
LORD NG LENNOX
MR DONALD
COPIES
то
HR GOV OFFICE
LONDON
COPIES SENT TO
No. 10 DOWNING STREET
pás 1317
See (To)
CONFIDENTAL