CODE 18-77
Reference
IN CONFIDENCE
Da
Media
30111
143
From: Sara Everett
News Department
REC
Date: 18 July 1993
cc: PS/Mr Goodlad
Sir John Coles
Mr Morris, HKD
JOHN ELLISON
Sunday Morning Post
1.
John Ellison explained to me today the nature of his relationship with the Oriental Daily News (ODN) and the Sunday Morning Post (SMP). Some time ago Danny Gittings had asked whether he would contribute, from time to time, to the SMP. Ellison was interested but needed to sort out his situation with the ODN. He had been under contract not to write for any other Chinese language newspaper. He was hopeful that contributions to the SMP would not cause a problem but then discovered that the SCMP has a Chinese language counterpart, Wah Kiu Yat Po, which could conceivably use material he gives to the SMP, thereby getting him into trouble with the ODN. At the time of writing the piece with Danny Gittings on the October/December deadlines for the talks, referring to a briefing paper for the Cabinet Committee meeting in July, Ellison had still not sorted out his position with the ODN. told me, in strictest confidence, that the SMP had suggested that the story go out under another name and chose Charles Locke. Ellison thinks that the SMP may offer him the permanent post of London correspondent, which he is inclined to accept. He is meeting Peter Lynch, the editor, this afternoon. He does not know what the SMP will do with their present correspondent, David Healy.
Cabinet Committee Paper
He
2. Ellison said that he had written an article first for the ODN about the deadlines for the talks and had referred to a Cabinet Committee briefing paper. They had not sparked on this; he did not know whether they had even used the article. He re-jigged it somewhat for the SMP, for the following Sunday. The SMP leapt on the reference to the Cabinet Committee paper and described the story as "dynamite" hence their determination to get it out, even under another name. Ellison said that "somebody he knew who had seen the briefing paper had told him about the deadlines referred to in it". He said no more but he then immediately moved on to the subject of Sir Percy Craddock.
Sir Percy Craddock's Book on Asia and China
3.
Ellison said that Sir Percy was writing a book about Asia and China which he was due to complete in October for publication next spring. Again in strictest confidence he said
IN CONFIDENCE