TNAG-1029-FCO40-1279-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 97

Reference

HICK 30011

AVITY NO. 51

? - MAR 1981

23/12

RESTRICTED

RECEIVED

21

Mr Mdrice

Mr Williamson 3

fur frar

ཆར

312. minite overleaf.

LIAISON WITH HONG KONG ON INFORMATION,

1.

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

HOUSTAY

Action Takan

18m 213

EPOWPING-

During my visit to Hong Kong I discussed this with the Governor, the Chief Secretary and the Secretary for Information. It was also covered at the round-up on 29 November.

2.

In general, the Governor was not keen on the specific designation of an officer to undertake information work on behalf of the UK. He took the view that in most cases where differences of opinion arose, it was counterproductive to engage in too much defensive briefing of the press. I argued that it was nevertheless necessary to ensure that the UK point of view was put over but did not make much headway on that point. The Governor was, however, ready to concede that we needed a focal point to coordinate reporting to London on questions which could cause difficulty, including visits.

3.

The Chief Secretary was a good deal readier than the Governor to acknowledge the need for information work. He also agreed about reporting, while making the point that in some it might be for his office rather than that of the Secretary for Information to do the job.

4.

The Secretary for Information, who had by that time heard the result of my talk with the Governor, said that they would not altogether rule out taking somebody from London but would not be able to pay for him from Hong Kong funds. I said that at the moment it was out of the question for HMG to pay. We therefore discussed the provision of assistance by a Hong Kong officer, preferably one with recent experience of Whitehall. The obvious answer appeared to be to make use of Mr Masefield who has already started reporting to us. Mr Scott proposed to bid for another officer to work alongside Mr Masefield, thus releasing the latter to devote more (though not all) of his time to liaison with London.

5.

This approach was endorsed at the Governor's round-up on 29 November. It was agreed that our contact in the office of the Secretary for Information should concentrate more on analysis of subjects likely to cause difficulty rather than on straight reporting, covering both the likely degree of support in Hong Kong for any awkward moves and the points which the Hong Kong Government would like us to take into account. There will be close liaison between the Offices of the Chief Secretary and the Secretary for Information; the Governor made the point that in an ideal world there would be no need for a coordinator since all the departments would take the initiative in reporting to us - it was, however, accepted that, particularly with visits, someone was needed to draw a variety of threads together.

CODE 18-77

SS 8/78

16.

RESTRICTED