sse
Dr Lichetts, HKD
Thank Travel
12
SECRET
Mr Ham
2 p.
Chtm".
Private Secretary
Private
FROM:
DATE:
CC:
pa.Leglo.
Surety 28inte for TRIGGER
PF Ricketts
Hong Kong Department
30 November 1993
30 (1
116
PS/Mr Goodlad
Mr Fry, FED
Head, News Dept Special Advisers
икв 01213.
TRY
HONG KONG: GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT TO LEGCO: 2 DECEMBER
The Secretary of State said that he wanted to see what the Governor proposed to say to LegCo on 2 December.
1.
2.
I submit a first draft, received from Hong Kong today. The covering note indicates that the Governor has seen this. We discussed this briefly and agreed that it contains the measured points discussed between the Secretary of State and the Governor, but also at times gives the flavour that the talks are over or that we see no prospect at all of reaching agreement on the remaining issues.
3. I think this flavour can be avoided by fairly minor re-drafting. I have marked the passages concerned on the draft below, and propose to send drafting suggestions to Hong Kong separately. The Secretary of State might wish to let the Governor know that he has seen the text and add one or
two general points about tone and approach. I submit a telegram. This also touches on the need for restraint in press briefing: we have seen some fairly hard-hitting material produced in Hong Kong and are seeking to tone this down.
4. If the Secretary of State agrees with these points, it would be helpful to the Governor, in working further on the text, if the telegram could be despatched this evening, 30 October.
Lichetts
PF Ricketts
SECRET