TNAG-1159-FCO40-1439-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Hong-Kong--1982 — Page 8

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File No.

Department

Drafted by

No

10

OUTWARD

TELEGRAM

(Block Capitals)

1.KYDD

Tel. Extn.

930

4433

DESKBY

FOR

COMMS. DEPT.

(Date)

USE

Despatched

POSTBY.

(Time).

..Z

PREAMBLE

Security Classification

RESTRICTED

Precedence ROUTINE

(Time of Origin)

Z(G.M.T.)

(Restrictive Prefix)......

(Caveat/

(Security Class.) RESTRICTED.

Privacy Marking)

(Codeword)

(Deskby)

ΤΟ..

ROUTINE TO HONG KONG (precedence)

Tel. No.

of......

(post)

AND TO (precedence/post)

ROUTINE TO PEKING,

TOKYO.

AND SAVING TO

REPEATED TO (for info)

SAVING TO (for info)

[TEXT]

145

Z

Z

Z

LIMITED

FED

NEWS DEPARTMENT

PCD

HK & GD

MR DONALD

Copies to:-

PRESS OFFICE

10 DOWNING ST.

FROM NO 10 PRESS OFFICE.

PM'S VISIT PRESS ARRANGEMENTS.

HONG KONG TELNO 827 (NOW BEING REPEATED TO TOKYO) REFERS.

1. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN APPROACHED ABOUT PRESS FACILITIES IN CHINA BY HK NEWS GROUP AND HK FINANCIAL DAILY PROPOSAL IN TUR SEEMS SENSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE. GRATEFUL IF PEKING WOULD PURSUE WITH MFA.

2. IN ADDITION TO HK BASED JOURNALISTS AND PRESS PARTY TRAVELLING ON PM'S AIRCRAFT THERE WILL BE OTHER JOURNALISTS, INCLUDING JAPANESE AND BRITISH, WHO SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED IN ANY ARRANGEMENTS THAT ARE AGREET MADE, FOR EXAMPLE, BBC-TV NEWSNIGHT TEAM INTEND TO COVER ENTIRE VISIT. THIS WILL BE IN ADDITION TO, AND INDEPENDENT OF, THE BBC-TV NEWS CREW WHO PLAN TO ACCOMPANY PM,

3. GRATEFUL IF TOKYO AND HONG KONG WOULD ALSO ADVISE ON ANY ACCREDITATION OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY IN RESPECT OF VISITING JOURNALISTS OTHER THAN THOSE TRAVELLING ON PM'S AIRCRAFT.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

UNCLASSIFIED

A J Havelock Esq

Department of Industry

Ashdown House

123 Victoria Street LONDON

SWIE 6RB

Telephone 01- 233 4381

Your reference

Our reference

Date

11 August 1982

144

нако26/s

See 1220

af AGTA (138

719

PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG : SEPTEMBER 1982

1.

Thank you for your letter of 5 August to Dick Clift, who is on leave for this week.

2.

We have heard from No 10 that they will not be showing the speeches for the Far East visit to the Prime Minister until nearer the time. We therefore have the opportunity to pass any additional material for inclusion in them to No 10 by 3 September.

3.

I should also mention that there has been a recent development on the press front. Though there is not going to be a full-scale Press Conference at Castle Peak, at No 10's request we have asked Hong Kong that time be allowed for the Prime Minister to answer a few questions and comment on the project itself, either as she goes round, or on departure, or both. This would be an informal arrangement for accompanying press officials to handle at the time. I suggest, therefore, that you might provide some talking points for the Prime Minister for her to use during the occasion when talking to the press and people.

4.

We shortened your draft of the Prime Minister's speech. because this was our understanding of the length required when Sir Edward Youde visited us last month. In the circumstances and in view of the opportunity for the Prime Minister to talk about the project to the press at Castle Peak I do not think we need to revert to your original draft. But I take the points in your letter. What I suggest is that we work them into the

/draft

A J Havelock Esq

- 2 -

11 August 1982

draft that was submitted. We could, for example, insert a further sentence at the end of the second paragraph as follows:

5.

'I am particularly delighted that it provided an ideal opportunity for the British Government and British industry to work together and produce a complete package for a project contributing to Hong Kong's continued expansion and development.'

We tried in our shortened version of your draft to give credit to all involved in the project in a general way without lifting them individually, except for Lord Kadoorie and CLP. But if you can suggest a better form of words we should be glad to have them.

6.

You will by now have received a copy of the Cabinet Office's call for briefing for the Prime Minister's visit (Hatfield's letter of 3 August). It would be helpful if you could let me know how soon you expect to be able to let us see a copy of your proposed brief on Castle Peak.

H McQuade

Hong Kong and General Department

Daco 10