T/L
PEXTING
T/L
WASHINGTON
SECRET
TELELETTER
توي
Mr. Mors
Pl.conside
cf14413
FROM: RJT MCLAREN POLITICAL ADVISER HONG KONG
DATE: 10 MARCH 1983
FOLLOWING FOR: RD CLIFT ESQ HKGD FCO
VORY
-
78
Dufted
téletterabove.
HKK040/5
16 MAR 1983
AF/3
COPIED TO:
A C GALSWORTH ESQ PEKING
(65
S J GOMERSALL ESQ WASHINGTON
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: CSIS SEMINAR
Eel
1. PLEASE REFER TO CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT THE INVITATION TO
STEPHEN GOMERSALL TO TAKE PART IN THIS SEMINAR RESTING WITH
FCO TELNO 376 TO WASHINGTON NOW REPEATED HERE AND TO PEKING.
2. I ENTIRELY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR CAUTION IN DEALING
WITH REQUESTS OF THIS KIND AND I WOULD NOT WISH TO QUESTION
YOUR DECISION IN THE CASE OF THIS PARTICULAR SEMINAR. BUT
THE GENERAL LINE SET OUT IN WARWICK MORRIS'S TELEGRAM STRIKES
ME AS UNDULY RESTRICTIVE. CLEARLY IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT FOR
MEMBERS OF THE EMBASSY TO ACCEPT INVITATIONS TO SPEAK ON
THE RECORD, OR AT GATHERINGS WHERE THERE IS A RISK THAT ANY-
THING SAID MIGHT APPEAR IN THE PRESS AND BE ATTRIBUTED TO
BRITISH OFFICIAL SOURCES. ON SUBSTANCE, THERE IS EQUALLY
CLEARLY A NEED TO AVOID GETTING INVOLVED IN DISCUSSION OF
SENSITIVE MATTERS SUCH AS SOVEREIGNTY AND THE CONTENT OF THE
DIPLOMATIC TALKS. BUT WITHIN SUCH GUIDELINES, AND ON THE BASIS
OF A BRIEF APPROVED IN LONDON, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE EMBASSY
COULD BE AUTHORISED TO GIVE OFF THE RECORD BACKGROUND BRIEFINGS
TO CONCERESSMEN AND THEIR STAFFERS, BUSINESSMEN AND SENIOR
MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES, AND COULD HAVE DISCRETION TO TAKE PART
IN SMALL SCALE SEMINARS PROVIDED THE PROCEEDINGS ARE INFORMAL
AND THERE IS JUDGED TO BE NO RISK OF PUBLICITY. AS STEPHEN
GOMERSALL NOTES (HIS TELELETTER OF 3 MARCH) THE CHINESE ARE
SHOWING LITTLE RETICENCE IN TALKING ABOUT THEIR POSITION. THE
EMBASSY COULD HELP TO COUNTER THE EFFECTS OF SUCH ACTIVITY
BY DOING SOME DISCREET BRIEFING OF THEIR OWN.
Swery
4 å risk in whatever
Crustmas
flow
сал сия
be sove?
SIGNED! RJT MCLAREN
1: