SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1983
SIR PETER BLAKER ARRIVING WEDNESDAY
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SIR PETER BLAKER, CHAIRMAN OF THE BRITISH HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP WILL ARRIVE IN HONG KONG FOR AN 11-DAY VISIT ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 4).
DURING HIS STAY, SIR PETER WILL HAVE TALKS WITH THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, AND SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS WELL AS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS. HE WILL ALSO MEET URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES.
HIS PROGRAMME WILL INCLUDE VISITS TO NEW TOWNS, COMMUNITY AND WELFARE FACILITIES, SCHOOLS, FACTORIES, A JUNIOR POLICE CALL CLUBHOUSE, THE BORDER AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CAMPS.
HE WILL GIVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON JANUARY 14, BEFORE LEAVING HONG KONG THE SAME EVENING.
SIR PETER, WHO WAS BORN IN HONG KONG 61 YEARS AGO, WAS ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE BRITISH HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP IN JULY 1983. HE HAD ALSO CHAIRED THE GROUP FROM 1970 TO 1972.
HE HAS TAKEN A KEEN INTEREST IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS OVER MANY YEARS AND HAS VISITED THE TERRITORY A NUMBER OF TIMES.
SIR PETER'S PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS STRETCHES BACK MORE THAN 20 YEARS. AS EARLY AS 1962 HE WAS PRIVATE SECRETARY TO THE THEN MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
HE WAS JOINT SECRETARY OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARLIAMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN 1965, OPPOSITION WHIP THE FOLLOWING YEAR, JOINT SECRETARY OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARLIAMENT TRADE COMMITTEE FROM 1967 TO 1970, AND PARLIAMENTARY PRIVATE SECRETARY TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER FROM 1970 TO 1972.
FROM 1972 TO 1974, SIR PETER WAS PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE (ARMY) AND IN 1974 WAS PARLIAMENTARY UNDER- SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.
HE WAS VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARLIAMENTARY FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FROM 1974 TO 1979, AND BETWEEN MAY 1979 AND JUNE 1981, HE WAS MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE. FROM 1981 TO 1983, HE WAS MINISTER OF STATE FOR THE ARMED FORCES.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
SIR PETER BLAKER IS DUE TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG ON WEDNESDAY (JANUARY 4) BY FLIGHT BR 382, ETA 6.20 PM.
A FACILITY HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER HIS ARRIVAL. THOSE ASSIGNED TO COVER THE EVENT SHOULD ASSEMBLE AT THE AIRPORT PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM NOT LATER THAN 5.20 PM.
GIS OFFICERS WILL BE ON HAND TO ASSIST.
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