Mr Patten
PERSONAL and IN CONFIDENCE
FROM: P F Ricketts
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 23 April 1992
CC: Private Secretary
PS/Mr Goodlad
PS/PUS
Sir J Coles
Mr Burns
1. I thought you might find it helpful to have a note of some immediate points that will arise once your appointment is announced.
I
2. There will inevitably be enormous press interest. The Hong Kong press are particularly insistent and intrusive. am preparing separately some questions and answers for an initial meeting with the London-based Hong Kong Press Corps. Lord Wilson recommends that you should have a first, introductory session with them on the afternoon of 24 April. This could be arranged at the FCO. There will
subsequently be a deluge of requests for media interviews and profiles. I propose that Mr David Crystal of the FCO
News Department should act as your Press Officer to field all the bids and discuss priorities with you.
3.
There will also be many people with an interest in our connections with Hong Kong pressing to see you in the early days. I would propose to put at your disposal a First Secretary from my Department, Mr John Morris, to act as a Private Secretary and organise your diary and paperwork. will also provide a secretary.
4.
We
I suggest that your first priority after dealing with
the initial media bids should be discussions with Ministers
KEWADQ/1
PERSONAL and IN CONFIDENCE