BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION IN HONG KONG 9th Floor Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Hong Kong Mail Address GPO Box No 528 Hong Kong
Telex HX 73031 Cable Address Uktrade Hong Kong Fax 5-8452870
Telephone 5-230176
BX
Your reference
ED
A R Paul Esq
Hong Kong Department
FCO
Dear Alan
Our reference
Date
It
3 May 1991
Mr Burns Tas/
was thoughtful of home to write. I mu reply
I thought I should let you know that I plan to go on mid-tour leave at the end of May. My departure has been brought forward a couple of weeks in the last few days as I have to get back to do a SSSB. I do not plan to return to post until my children go back to school at the end of August.
In my absence Rosie Fowler will stand in for me, but I suspect the press will to some extent revert to using News Department. When I originally planned my leave I thought the summer period would be relatively quiet and free from high profile Ministerial visits. Depending on how things unfold over the next week or so, that assessment could still turn out to be correct though the prognosis does not look too good? I still think on balance the Autumn will be worse.
I did mention my summer absence to Peter Tibber when he was here earlier in the year. He then saw no difficulty with my not being here when Lord Caithness attends the HMC in July. That assessment might need looking at again in the light of events. One option would be for a member of News Department to accompany the Minister as happened before my arrival.
I
I will of course come into the Department during my leave. shall for the most part be at my home in Surrey on 081 979 3125.
yours ever
Ohri
C W Osborne
REG:
'Ole'
Gf.
ec Mr Crystal News D.
Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions or misleading statements in that information caused by negligence or otherwise and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms,
companies or individuals mentioned.