sub.PET.JRB
Pr. Relen Paul FILE
FROM: P F Ricketts
Hong Kong Department DATE: 29 September 1993
cc: Sir J Coles
Ms Everett, News Dept Special Advisers
Mr Hum
PS/Mr Goodlad
HONG KONG: MARKETING THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO LEGCO
Problem
What steps should we take to ensure that the Governor's
LegCo address on 6 October gets the right reception here?
1.
Recommendation
2.
That Mr Goodlad should write a short "Dear Colleague" letter
to the 30 or so MPs and Peers who take a particular interest in
the Hong Kong issue highlighting the main points and undertaking
to keep in close contact during the rest of the year. We will also produce the usual one page bullpoints on the speech for News Department and others to use with the press.
Background
3. Last year, we organised a major briefing campaign on the
Governor's LegCo speech including detailed letters to a very
wide range of members of Parliament, the media, academics etc.
This year, there is much less new substance in the speech,
particularly in the passages on relations with China. There
will, however, be a good deal of interest among those who follow
the Hong Kong issue closely in what the Governor has to say
about the talks, and more particularly in how things are likely to develop over the rest of the Autumn.
4. In the circumstances, I think that we should mount a much
lower-profile briefing exercise this time. We have no