TNAG-0333-FCO40-369-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 113

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1972

TO PRIORITY PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 775 OF 4 OCTOBER INFO HONGKONG.

FOLLOWING FROM NEWS DEPARTMENT.

LAST

T

NEXT

MY TELNO 744 OF 26 SEPTEMBER (NOT TO HONGKONG)

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SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO PEKING: PRESS ARRANGEMENTS,

1. WE HAVE TODAY SENT A LETTER TO THE CHINESE EMBASSY ATTACHING A

LIST OF THOSE CORRESPONDENTS WHO WISH TO VISIT PEKING AT THE TIME

OF SIR ALEC'S VISIT. (LIST IN MIFT). WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU

WOULD MAKE A PARALLEL DEMARCHE TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY IN PEKING, IN THAT CONTEXT, YOU MAY FIND THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF POINTS IN

YOUR LETTER USEFUL:

(A) THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THE

CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY WOULD GIVE THE NECESSARY CLEARANCE OF

ALL THOSE JOURNALISTS AND SUPPORT CREWS FROM BRITISH PUBLICATIONS AND BROADCASTING ORGANISATIONS SHOWN IN THE LIST,

(B) IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF THIS CLEARANCE COULD BE GIVEN AS SOON

AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE JOURNALISTS CONCERNED HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO MAKE THE NECESSARY TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS,

(C) IN ADDITION TO THE BRITISH, TWO AMERICAN ORGANISATIONS ARE ON

THE LIST. WHILE THESE ORGANISATIONS ARE IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY FROM THE OTHERS, BOTH OF THEM HAVE A LARGE BRITISH READERSHIP) AND PROVIDED NUMBERS PERMIT WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD ALSO GIVE THEIR APPLICATIONS FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION,

(D) MOST JOURNALISTS WILL APPLY THROUGH THE LONDON EMBASSY FOR THEIR VISAS, HOWEVER, SOME WILL EITHER APPLY DIRECTLY TO PEKING OR THROUGH THE CHINA INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICE OFFICE IN HONGKONG

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