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FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
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OF 14163OZ
MARCH 91
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
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165623
MDHOAN 9847
FOLLOWING FROM HEAD OF NEWS DEPARTMENT
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT
1. AN IMPORTANT OBJECTIVE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S FORTHCOMING VISIT WILL BE TO SECURE THE MOST HELPFUL MEDIA COVERAGE BOTH IN THE UK AND LOCALLY. THIS SHOULD BE BORNE IN MIND IN DEVISING THE PROGRAMME AND IN THE PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR HANDLING THE MEDIA. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE HELP OF YOUR INFORMATION OFFICER IN ACHIEVING THIS.
2. IT IS MAINLY THE JOB OF THE HEAD OF NEWS DEPARTMENT TO KEEP BRITISH JOURNALISTS BRIEFED ON WHAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS DOING, SEEING, SAYING, HEARING AND THINKING. HE WILL NEED TO ADVISE THE SECRETARY OF STATE FROM TIME TO TIME ON MEDIA ENCOUNTERS. THIS MEANS THAT HE WILL NORMALLY ACCOMPANY THE SECRETARY OF STATE THROUGHOUT THE TRIP AND, EXCEPT WHERE ATTENDANCE IS STRICTLY LIMITED (EG TO GOVERNER/HMA AND PRIVATE SECRETARY) HE SHOULD BE PRESENT AT ALL OFFICIAL CALLS. IT WILL BE IMMENSELY HELPFUL IF YOU CAN ARRANGE FOR YOUR INFORMATION OFFICER (IN HONG KONG CHRIS OBSORNE) TO BE AVAILABLE FULL TIME TO ASSIST THE HEAD OF NEWS DEPARTMENT WITH THE BRITISH AND LOCAL PRESS.
THE MEDIA
BRITISH MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
3. THERE ARE NO JOURNALISTS TRAVELLING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE BUT WE ASSUME THAT HIS VISIT WILL BE COVERED BY LOCALLY BASED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BRITISH MEDIA AND OTHERS VISITING INDEPENDENTLY. (QUOTE BRITISH UNQUOTE IN THIS CONTEXT IS
DEFINED BY THE NATIONALITY OF THE ORGANISATION REPRESENTED AND NOT THE NATIONALITY OF THE JOURNALIST HIMSELF, IE AN AMERICAN WORKING FOR A BRITISH NEWSPAPER WOULD BE INCLUDED, BUT A BRITISH JOURNALIST REPRESENTING A FRENCH NEWS AGENCY WOULD NOT.) PLEASE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THE HEAD OF NEWS DEPT AND PA ON ARRIVAL A LIST OF NAMES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS AS FAR AS THIS IS
AVAILABLE.
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