FILE
7 May 1993
BY FAX
HKB 301/1
RECEIVED IN SEGISTRY
13 MAY 1993
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
DESK OFFICER
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INDEX
PA
Action Taken
London SWIA 2AH
Telephone: 071-
؟ پر
Mike Hanson Esq
Information Coordinator
Government House
Hong Kong
Dear Mike
I wanted to let you know that I had a talk on 6 May with Tai Ming Cheung, the Hong Kong correspondent of the Far Eastern Economic Review. He had written to all and sundry here some time ago saying that he was coming to the UK to do research for a piece on British policy. I was all for treating him with the barge pole. But the general conclusion was that someone should see him: I picked the short straw.
His original purpose was evidently to write a piece about differences between the FCO and the Governor.
But since his
call was arranged, the talks with China got underway. naturally took the chance to ask about them as well.
He
and
I had Sarah Everett with me and was determined to say nothing which he could misquote in evidence about his thesis on the Governor and the FCO. I told him baldly that there was absolutely nothing in these rumours: in any case, Ministers made
The officials dealing the policy and officials carried it out.
On the
with Hong Kong had been fully involved in developing the Governor's proposals, and fully supported them (etc). talks, I also played a dead bat and refused to say anything on the substance.
All this was on background.
He may
But he certainly
We shall see what emerges. go ahead and write what he intended to anyway. had no encouragement from my talk with him!
You ever Че
PF Ricketts
HONG KONG DEPARTMENT
cc: Ms Everett, News Dept
Peter.
Medis
(97)