RESTRICTED FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
TELNO 20
OF 20190OZ FEBRUARY 90
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
RESTRICTED
164056
MDHOAN 3556
HKB3011
RECE
11 APR 1990
મ
REGISTRY Aomon Taken
ка la fress
ARTICLE BY EDWARD MORTIMER
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1 MINISTERS ARE KEEN THAT WE SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITIES TO REBUT INACCURATE AND DISOBLIGING ARTICLES ABOUT BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG, PARTICULARLY THOSE BY SERIOUS JOURNALISTS. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN AN ARTICLE OF THIS KIND BY EDWARD MORTIMER WHICH APPEARED IN TODAY'S FINANCIAL TIMES (A COPY OF WHICH IS BEING FAXED TO YOU). MORTIMER ADMITS IN THIS ARTICLE THAT HE HAS NEVER BEEN TO HONG KONG AND THAT HIS BELATED INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT WAS INSPIRED BY WILLIAM SHAWCROSS'S PAMPHLET KOWTOW.
2.
WE ARE CONSIDERING WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY OF RESPONDING TO THIS ARTICLE. ONE POSSIBILITY WOULD BE TO TRY TO INSPIRE A LETTER TO THE FINANCIAL TIMES FROM SOMEONE LIKE PETER BLAKER. BUT IT OCCURS TO US THAT A RESPONSE MIGHT HAVE MORE IMPACT IF IT CAME FROM A SUITABLE FIGURE IN HONG KONG EG A MEMBER OF LEGCO WHO IS ALSO A MEMBER OF A DISTRICT BOARD. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE ON WHETHER THERE IS ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE PREPARED TO RESPOND QUICKLY PERHAPS IF OFFERED SOME HELP OVER DRAFTING. IDEALLY THE RESPONSE WOULD NEED TO APPEAR IN THE FRIDAY EDITION (23 FEBRUARY) OF THE FINANCIAL TIMES.
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HKD
NEWS
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DISTRIBUTION
32
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
MR MCLAREN
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