CONFIDENTIAL
NÍT
OO PEKING
GRS242
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 050915Z APR 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 321 OF 5 APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
FROM GOULDEN, NEWS DEPARTMENT
10996 - 1
LAKK O27/2
REGISTRY
- 6 APR 1984
DISK OFFICER
ISTRY
INDEX
PA
von TakeT
No
PA
YOUR TELNO 628: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO PEKING: PRESS
ARRANGEMENTS
1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS AGREED THAT WE SHOULD LET IT BE KNOWN NOW THAT HE WILL NOT GIVE A PRESS CONFERENCE IN PEKING. IF IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THIS IS UNUSUAL, WE WILL TAKE THE LINE THAT, BEFORE SPEAKING TO THE PRESS ABOUT HIS DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING, THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL WISH TO CONSULT EXCO AND OTHERS IN HONG KONG. WE WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT HE WILL BE
GIVING A PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG ONLY TWO DAYS AFTER
LEAVING PEKING.
2.
I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SOME ARRANGEMENTS TO BRIEF
THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS. BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM OVER ATTRIBUTION, IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE EASIER TO TAKE THEM SEPARATELY FROM THE LOCAL AND TRAVELLING BRITISH PRESS GROUP.
BUT IT MAY NOT BE FEASIBLE FOR ME TO DO PARALLEL BRIEFINGS.
MIGHT THE SOLUTION BE FOR DENNIS
TO BRIEF THE HONG KONG CORRESPONDENTS AFTER SITTING IN ON
MY BRIEFINGS FOR THE BRITISH.
3.
YOU MAY FIND IT USEFUL TO KNOW WHAT BRIEFING ARRANGEMENTS
ARE BEING MADE AT THIS END. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BRIEF
EDITORS ON A DEEP BACKGROUND BASIS ON THE AFTERNOON OF 12 APRIL. ON THE SAME DAY, WILSON WILL BRIEF BRITISH AND HONG KONG JOURNALISTS: AND THERE WILL BE A SEPARATE BRIEFING FOR
JAPANESE, KOREANS AND CHINESE. I WILL BRIEF EUROPEAN AND
AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS ON 13 APRIL.
HOWE
LIMITED
NEWS D
HKD
FED
PS
SIR P CRADOCK
DR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
183