SECRET
221
TOP COPY
GR 200
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 0309OOZ
FM HONG KONG 030345Z SEPT 82
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 976 OF 3 SEPTEMBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
EID
YOUR TELNO 684 (NOT TO PEKING): PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT:
PRESS ARRANGEMENTS.
HITH 026/5
NCNA APPEAR TO BE TAKING ON THE TASK OF ORGANISING A HONG KONG PRESS GROUP. THEY HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED TO PEKING A LIST INCLUDING TV CREWS FROM THE TWO TV STATIONS, REPORTERS FROM RTHK AND COMMERCIAL RADIO AND ONE CORRESPONDENT FROM EACH OF 14 NEWSPAPERS. THESE LAST CONSTITUTE A FAIRLY REPRESENTATIVE CROSS SECTION OF THE HONG KONG PRESS THOUGH PRO-KMT PAPERS HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED, AS HAVE SOME MORE INDEPENDENT BUT TAIWAN-LINKED PAPERS LIKE THE ORIENTAL DAILY. AS OF THIS MORNING NO REPLY FROM PEKING HAD BEEN RECEIVED.
2. PROVIDED THE HONG KONG PRESS PARTY ARE ABLE TO COVER THE MAJOR EVENTS, AND ARE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE PRESS CONFERENCES AND PHOTOCALLS, IT SHOULD NOT MATTER TOO MUCH IF THEY ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY FROM THE BRITISH JOURNALISTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES. IT IS HOWEVER IMPORTANT THAT SOME SPECIAL FACILITIES ARE GIVEN TO THIS GROUP AS DISTINCT FROM ANY HONG KONG REPORTERS WHO MAY TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY TO PEKING WITHOUT GOING THROUGH NCNA. IF WE CAN SAY HERE THAT ONLY THOSE ON THE NCNA LIST WILL GET FACILITIES WE MAY BE ABLE TO DETER OTHERS.
3. IT WOULD BE BEST TO WAIT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT ARRANGEMENTS NCNA HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE FOR THE HONG KONG PRESS BEFORE CONSIDERING THE DESIRABILITY OF FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS TO THE
MFA.
YOUDE
Für 817
See (244)
MINIMAL
HK + GD
FED
P + CD
NEWS D
No 10
Downing St, SECRET
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