(
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2075
OF 34102OZ OCTOBER 35
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
VISIT OF MR. RENTON : PUBLIC PRESENTATION,
ht
་
pass
HKK 02716
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
-
- 8 OCT 1985
OFFICER
PA
JQ110
७माले)
For wmy (MIC) Fett wif( 159
PRESENTATION OF THE MINISTER OF STATE'S VISIT WILL BE IMPORTANT. THE HONG KONG PUBLIC WILL SEE IT AS A VITAL OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW MR. RENTON. HIS APPOINTMENT EVOKED GREAT INTEREST HERE AND HIS GENERAL APPROACH TO HIS NEW RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE CLOSELY SCRUTINISED. HONG KONG OPINION MAY FIND IT CURIOUS THAT HE IS NOT TO VISIT CHINA THIS TIME (MY TELNO 1349). THEY WILL WANT TO BE SURE THAT HMG'S POLICY ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IS UNCHANGED AND THAT THE BRITISH COMMITMENT CONTINUES. MR. RENTON WILL CERTAINLY WISH TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS IS THE CASE: AND THAT HE IS ALREADY WELL BRIEFED ON HONG KONG'S PROSPECTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS.
2. HONG KONG HAS AN ACTIVE PRESS CORPS AND MR. RENTON CAN EXPECT TO BE CLOSELY QUESTIONED AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. HE WILL BE HERE HOWEVER AT A MOMENT WHEN THE OPENING OF THE NEW LEGCO IS THE MAIN ITEM OF NEWS AND WHEN THERE IS NOT MUCH NEW TO SAY ON POLICY ISSUES - PARTICULARLY CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS: THE FUTURE OF THE HONG KONG GARRISON: NATIONALITY ISSUES: AND HONG KONG'S ACCESS IN ITS OWN RIGHT TO THE GATT.
3. THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS OF HANDLING THIS. I HAVE CONSIDERED WHETHER TO RECOMMEND THAT MR. RENTON GRANT AN INTERVIEW TO THE HONG KONG PRESS IN LONDON BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE. ON BALANCE ! BELIEVE THAT HIS SHOTS ARE BEST KEPT IN THE LOCKER UNTIL HE REACHES HONG KONG. IF MR. RENTON AGREES, THEN THE REMAINING ELEMENTS MIGHT BE DEPLOYED AS FOLLOWS:
(A) FOMRAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE HONG KONG VISIT. THIS SHOULD BE MADE. FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT HERE. ON 2 OCTOBER. IT SHOULD BE FREE STANDING
1.E. SEPARATED FROM THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS VISIT TO JAKARTA.
(3) THE PRESS WILL BE OUT IN FORCE TO GREET MR. RENTON AT KAI TAK ON 27 OCTOBER. HE MIGHT WISH TO MAKE A BRIEF AND INFORMAL STATEMENT ON THE FOLLOWING LINES. HE COULD SAY THAT HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS VISIT: WOULD BE MEETING THE GOVERNOR AND ATTENDING THE OPENING OF THE NEW LEGCO: HAD ALREADY A GOOD PICTURE OF HONG KONG'S PLANS AND CONCERNS BUT WISHED TO CONFIRM IT AT FIRST HAND. MR RENTON MIGHT WISH TO ADD THAT HMG HAD EVERY INTENTION OF EXERCISING ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN HONG KONG UP TO 1997:
CONFIDENTIAL
/THAT
- ---