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176033,
MDLOA 152.
MOREOVER, THE FORMAT COULD BE ADAPTED. AT PRESENT, EXPECTATIONS ARE RAISED THAT CANNOT BE MET. THERE IS NO NEED TO HAVE IT BROADCAST LIVE (THE PRE-CONFERENCE PUBLICITY HYPES THE OCCASION, WHICH MAY IN FACT BE QUITE TEDIOUS). NOR DOES IT HAVE TO LAST AN HOUR. HALF-AN-HOUR WOULD BE NORMAL. ANYTHING LONGER SEEMS TO REST ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT TIME IS NEEDED TO GIVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO THE CHINESE-SPEAKING JOURNALISTS. IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY? THEY RARELY ASK QUESTIONS AND WILL SURELY MAKE ADEQUATE USE OF THE REPLIES TO QUESTIONS IN ENGLISH?
5.
A MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM IS THAT OF THE UK-BASED JOURNALISTS OR THOSE PRIMARILY REPORTING FOR LONDON OUTLETS. THEY DO NOT USUALLY SEEM TO BE IN EVIDENCE AT THE OUTSIDE SITES FOR DOORSTEP INTERVIEWS. THEY WILL EXPECT AN OPPORTUNITY TO QUIZZ THE MINISTER. THERE SEEMS LITTLE POINT IN DOING THIS SEPARATELY, EG, OVER A DRINK AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SINCE THIS WILL EITHER DUPLICATE OR DENY ACCESS FOR THE LOCALS (THERE MAY OF COURSE BE TIMES WHEN AN ADDITIONAL BACKGROUNDER WILL MAKE SENSE). THE USUAL INTERVIEWS WITH RTHK, LOCAL TELEVISION AND BBC RADIO WOULD PROVIDE GOOD COVERAGE. MR MAUDE'S MEETING WITH EDITORS AFTER HIS VISIT TO CHINA WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED, AND WE SEE VALUE IN REPEATING THIS FORMULA WHEN LORD CAITHNESS NEXT VISITS HONG KONG.
6.
BUT THERE WILL STILL BE A NEED FOR SOME ENCOUNTER WITH THE LOCAL AND BRITISH PRESS CORPS TOWARDS THE END OF A VISIT, AND AT A TIME OF DAY THAT MAKES SENSE FOR HONG KONG AND LONDON DEADLINES. A SPEECH AND QUESTIONS AT LUNCH OR AN IMPROMPTU BUT REASONABLY EXTENDED DOORSTEP AT THE END OF A FACTORY VISIT COULD FIT THE BILL. THE PROBLEM WITH AN AIRPORT SESSION BEFORE DEPARTURE IS THAT THIS WOULD BE LATE AT NIGHT (BAD FOR DEADLINES): AFTER DINNER (AND DRINK), WHEN THE MINISTER HAS WOUND-DOWN: AFTER RADIO/TV INTERVIEWS WHICH WOULD HAVE UNDERMINED THE VALUE OF WHAT WAS BEING REPEATED: AND WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE WITHOUT INTERPRETATION OR DECENT AUDIBILITY. WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE DONE WITHOUT NOTES.
IT
7. IN SHORT, WE BELIEVE THAT THE EMPHASIS FOR PRESS ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE FLEXIBILITY, DEPENDING ON THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE VISIT. IF WE SUCCEED IN BREAKING THE EXISTING MOULD, WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO SET A NEW ONE. BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO FIND TIME DURING THE VISIT TO AGREE ON THE STORY LINE. THIS MUST TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE WIND-UP BRIEFING SESSION TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE AWKWARD QUESTIONS, THOUGH
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