RESTRICTED
02015
RECENE IN REGISTRY
19
166365
MDLIAN 4464
RESTRICTED
FM ATTC TAIPEI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 39
OF 160839Z FEBRUARY 93
.OP COPY
Q DIST?
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
"EGISTR
Action Taker.
TRAR
toRB
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG
15.
MY TELNO 31: TAIPEI CULTURAL AND INFORMATION CENTRE IN HONG KONG
1
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JASON HU, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION OFFICE (GIO), HAS GOT BACK TO ME ON THIS TO SAY THAT HE HAD BEEN ALARMED TO HEAR THAT THE DEBATE ON THE DEMOCRACY PROPOSALS IN LEGCO COULD RUN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I ASKED HIM WHAT HE BASED THIS ON. HE QUOTED A RECENT VISITING BRITISH JOURNALIST (WHOSE NAME HE COULD NOT REMEMBER AND WHOM I MYSELF HAD NOT SEEN) AND WHO IN TURN HAD QUOTED THE POLITICAL ADVISER'S OFFICE IN HONG KONG. HE WAS CONCERNED SINCE HIS PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAD COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO NEW PREMISES AND HAD GIVEN UP THE LEASE ON THEIR EXISTING ACCOMMODATION. THEY WERE, THEREFORE, GOING TO
HAVE TO MOVE VERY SOON.
2 I SAID THAT AS FAR AS I COULD SEE THE ACTUAL ACT OF MOVING FROM ONE OFFICE TO ANOTHER (ENLARGED) OFFICE WAS NOT SO MUCH THE PROBLEM AS KEEPING IT QUIET. HE SAID THAT IF THAT WERE INDEED THE PROBLEM THEN HE COULD ASSURE ME THAT THEY WOULD UNDERTAKE THE MOVE WITH NO PUBLICITY WHATSOEVER AND ONLY MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT MUCH LATER, I.E. TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. I SAID THAT I WOULD GET BACK TO HIM IN A FEW DAYS.
COMMENT
3. I THINK JASON HU IS GENUINELY TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, BUT HE OBVIOUSLY FACES A PRACTICAL PROBLEM, I.E. THE EXPIRY OF THE LEASE ON THE EXISTING PREMISES. I FEEL WE CAN TAKE HIS GUARANTEE OF SILENCE AT FACE VALUE. IN ANY CASE, THERE IS PRESUMABLY VERY LITTLE WE CAN DO TO PREVENT THE MOVE.
I SUGGEST I GO BACK TO HIM AND SAY:
A) WE UNDERSTAND HIS PREDICAMENT, BUT PLEASE POSTPONE THE MOVE UNTIL THE END OF MARCH AT THE EARLIEST:
B) MAKE ABSOLUTELY NO ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE ENLARGED OFFICE
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