CONFIDENTIAL
13
034342
MDHOAN 3636
HK B026/20 TOP COPY
Q DIST ?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1317
OF 2119OOZ JUNE 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
BTC HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR HEAP
(8-9)
YOUR TELNOS 1977-8: VISIT OF SECRETARY OF STATE TO HONG KONG: 2-4 JULY
·
1 MANY THANKS FOR YOUR INITIAL IDEAS, WHICH I HAVE PUT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. WE HAVE BEEN GIVING PARTICULAR THOUGHT OURSELVES TO THE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE VISIT. 2. THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS MADE THE FOLLWING COMMENTS ON YOUR
IDEAS:
(A) HE THINKS THE SPEECH SHOULD TAKE PLACE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE VISIT, IE ON THE FIRST FULL DAY, RATHER THAN TH SECOND. THIS SHOULD HOPEFULLY ENABLE HIM TO SET THE TONE OF THE VISIT FROM THE START WITH A POWERFUL AND UPBEAT PRESENTATION.
(B) HE WOULD NOT WISH TO GIVE HIS PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE AIRPORT ON DEPARTURE. HE WOULD PREFER IT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON ON THE LAST DAY. THIS WOULD ALLOW TIME FOR INTERVIEWS AND SHOULD HELP THE HONG KONG AND UK JOURNALISTS TO
MEET THEIR VARIOUS DEADLINES.
(C) HE WOULD WELCOME ADVICE FROM YOU ON WHETHER HE SHOULD CONSIDER A BROADCAST TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. ON PREVIOUS VISITS THE PRESS CONFERENCE HAS SERVED AS A BROADCAST. ONE ALTERNATIVE MIGHT BE TO TURN HIS SPEECH INTO SUCH AN EVENT, IE A
LIVE BROADCAST.
3. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN GIVING THOUGHT TO THE VENUE AS WELL AS TO THE TIMING OF THE SPEECH. THE COMMUNITY LUNCH MIGHT BE THE MOST SUITABLE PLATFORM. BUT WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ALTERNATIVES. ONE POSSIBILITY MIGHT BE A SPEECH TO OMELCO (AS WAS THE CASE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH IN 1984).
4. ON THE CONTENT OF THE PROGRAMME, THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAW THE CONTAINER PORT ON HIS LAST VISIT. THE EASTERN HARBOUR
CROSSING SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT FOR THIS TRIP.
5. IN VIEW OF THE LARGE UK PRESS PRESENCE WE PROPOSE TO SEND IAN WHITEHEAD (NEWS DEPT) OUT IN ADVANCE TO PREPARE THE GROUND AND TO LIAISE CLOSELY WITH GIS. DETAILS WILL FOLLOW.
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