HhD
2076
telis.
Car
From: CO Hum
8 December 1993
CISTRY
Date:
13
10 ... 1993
CC:
PS
Į RECISTRY
F
Jn Tekoi
PS/Mr Goodlad
Mr Ricketts, HKD Mr Fry, FED
Sir J Ramsden,
Information Dept
Mr Culshaw,
News Dept
HK8 301/1
Mr Larner, News Dept
REQUEST BY JONATHAN DIMBLEBY TO FILM A LIVE HONG KONG/ CHINA MEETING IN THE FCO
+207A)
1. Thank you for your minute of 7 December about the request by Mr Dimbleby to film a meeting on Hong Kong.
2.
Ministers have asked us to cooperate with Mr Dimbleby, and we should like to meet his request. There is however a genuine difficulty which you have identified. My communion with Mr Ricketts and his Department on Hong Kong questions is close and continuous, and virtually never takes the form of a set-piece meeting. I have already set up one meeting for filming by the Dimbleby team, but inevitably this had a slightly staged quality.
3.
It might be an idea to try a slightly different format this time. On 15 December, as you know, the first phase of electoral legislation will be introduced into LegCo. It would be natural and useful for Mr Goodlad to hold a meeting on the morning of 16 December in order to assess reactions in China and Hong Kong, and to discuss what action we need to take in response. This would probably offer the best opportunity for filming next week.
4.
I have discussed this idea with PS/Mr Goodlad, who believes that the Minister would be happy to do this. He will consult the Minister and confirm to you whether the meeting should go ahead. If so, the Department will be ready to put forward recommendations on participation at the meeting and a checklist of the points which we would need to cover.
P.P.
CO Hum