TNAG-0965-FCO40-1184-Air-services-between-the-UK-and-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 121

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CONFIDENTIAL

13. I intend to announce this decision on Tuesday 17 June, as I have to address the "Dragonboat Dinner" of the Hong Kong Association in London that evening. If I allow the occasion to pass, it will cause an undue amount of press speculation which might be damaging. I propose to do so by a statement in the House, since this would provide, I believe, a positive launch for my decision and would be the best means of getting into the popular press

press.

14. I am copying this minute to Peter Carrington, Geoffrey Howe, Keith Joseph, George Younger, Michael Heseltine, Angus Maude, Michael Havers, Norman St John Stevas, Michael Jopling and

Sir Robert Armstrong.

Department of Trade 12 June 1980

係

IN

J. N.