TNAG-1025-FCO40-1275-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 34

Private Segretary Sporetary

c.c. Mr Donald

Mr Archer (SAD)

Mr Clift (HKGD)

Mr Paul (FED)

Secretary & Starr

News Dept

11.00 m

کنا

25/3

518/3.

News Dept

G

Mr Jack (FED)

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO THE FAR EAST:

BBC OVERSEAS SERVICE AND THE COI

INTERVIEWS WITH

1.

Mr Gordon Martin, BBC Overseas Service, has asked for a ten minute interview with the Secretary of State as a

curtain-raiser to his Far East Tour.

2.

The interview would begin with a general

question about the purpose of the trip, followed by specific questions about each country: the state of play on Afghanistan in relation to Pakistan; the future of Hong Kong; the state of our relations with China; and both political and economic relations with Japan. Mr Martin's purpose would be to inform his audience rather than to elicit news by aggressive questioning. If Lord Carrington agrees to the interview, I will ask Hong

Kong Department to submit a formula for use about the future

of Hong Kong.

3.

The interview will be carried on the World Service,

and extracts would be used for the Eastern and Far Eastern

Services, for Current Affairs Talks and for a number of

vernacular services.

4.

My submission of 13 March recommended that

Lord Carrington need not 'conduct a series of interviews' in

advance of his tour. This particular request, however, is

worth any amount of unattributable briefing, and I recommend