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103 PA
HkD 301/1
26 JUD1986
Mr McLaren
HONG KONG
117)
From: R A Burns
News Department
Date: 20 June 1989
cc: Private Secretary
PS/Lord Glenarthur
PS/Mr Eggar
PS/PUS
Mr Gillmore
Mr Paul, HKD
Ryczk
Miss Marsden
Mr Wong 20 Mr Foo
W 21/6
1. In your minute of 14 June you noted Sir Percy Cradock's wish to go on to the counter-attack again on the subject of Hong Kong.
2. I think that we are keeping up a very steady striking rate on this subject, notably of course with the Secretary of State's own testimony to the Foreign Affairs Committe and the various interviews and press conferences he has been giving in recent weeks. I am sure, for example, that the subject will come up again at the press breakfast tomorrow morning for British diplomatic correspondents
and at the editorial lunch we are giving for the Times on 22 June.
3. You might like to know that the former Executive Editor of the New York Times, Mr Abe Rosenthal, asked me earlier this week to arrange a briefing for him (he now writes a twice weekly column). I have arranged for him to see Sir P Cradock this week.
4. As far as any further action is concerned I note that the Foreign Editor of the Daily Express, Mr John Ellison, has been in
Peking and Hong Kong recently. It might be an idea to go over the ground with him when he gets back. The Secretary of State gave an editorial lunch for the Guardian recently. Our efforts with the
Independent have not, as you know, proved effective. I have recommended separately that the Secretary of State might find time
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