CONFIDENTIAL
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2099
OF 0209O7Z JULY 91
CONFIDENTIAL STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
LUKB 301/1
༢.
(114
027163
MDLIAN 3079
Yes Stankyou kagel 26/7
PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
1. YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO TAKE ON JOHN ELLIOTT OF THE FT AS A PUBLIC AFFAIRS ADVISER AS PART OF A SCHEME TO BEEF UP OUR INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC PR EFFORT.
2. ELLIOTT IS DUE TO FINISH HIS PRESENT TOUR AS THE LOCAL FT CORRESPONDENT THIS WEEK. HE HAS ON OFFER A POSTING BACK TO THE FT IN LONDON BUT HAS BECOME ATTACHED TO HONG KONG AND WOULD LIKE TO STAY HERE FOR A BIT. AS YOU WILL KNOW, HE IS A HIGH CALIBRE JOURNALIST ONE OF THE BEST HERE. HE WRITES WELL AND GENERALLY PERCEPTIVELY. INDEED SOMETIMES SO PERCEPTIVELY THAT HE HAS MANAGED TO GET ONTO STORIES BEFORE WE WANTED THEM IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. HE SHOULD BE A CONSIDERABLE ASSET IN HELPING TO IMPROVE
OUR PR EFFORT.
3
ELLIOTT WILL BE TALKING VERY SOON TO THE FT ABOUT HIS FUTURE PLANS. I THOUGHT YOU WOULD FIND THE INFORMATION ABOVE USEFUL IN CASE BY SPEAKING TO THE FT HE TRIGGERS RUMOURS ABOUT HIS PLANS.
WILSON
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CONFIDENTIAL STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
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