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GR 295
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 15060OZ JUL 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 677 OF 15 JULY
AND IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
MY TELNO 674: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS
・refers to
ó Guardan
Вино
article quitig "Buhol diplomatic sonces" about Thi talks.
HAV
1. I THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW OF THE WAY IN WHICH THE PRESS WERE
HANDLED DURING THE FIRST SESSION OF THE TALKS AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY
WAS SAID TO THEM.
2. THERE HAS BEEN A STRICT RULE FOR SOME TIME THAT ONLY THE
EMBASSY PRESS OFFICER IS AUTHORISED TO SPEAK TO JOURNALISTS.
MYSELF AND THE GOVERNOR APART NO ONE ELSE SAID A WORD TO THEM.
I TOLD THE JOURNALISTS AS A BODY AT THE AIRPORT WHEN MEETING
THE GOVERNOR THAT I WAS GLAD TO SEE HIM AND WAS LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE TALKS. THE GOVERNOR SAID MUCH THE SAME. SIMILARLY, ON
SEEING HIM OFF I SPOKE AS IN THE AGREED COMMUNIQUE.
3. THE PRESS OFFICER MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS, WITHOUT AMPLIFICAT-
ION, IN THE COURSE OF THE SESSION:
(A) COMPOSITION OF THE BRITISH DELEGATION (THE CHINESE HAVING
RELEASED THEIRS):
(3) DURATION OF MEETINGS (TO SCOTCH RUMOURS THAT THE TALKS HAD
BEEN CURTAILED OWING TO DISAGREEMENTS):
(C) THE TALKS WERE BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS:
(D) THE BRITISH (AND PRESUMABLY THE CHINESE) DELEGATIONS WOULD
BE DRAWING ON THE FULL RANGE OF INFORMATION AND EXPERTISE AVAILABLE
TO THEM ON HONG KONG,
NOTHING MORE WHATEVER WAS SAID, EXCEPT THE TEXTS OF THE AGREED
CONCLUDING STATEMENT AND QUOTE NO COMMENT UNQUOTE.
4. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THERE WAS NO JOURNALIST IN PEKING CLAIMING
TO REPRESENT THE GUARDIAN, AND IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY STRINGERS PASSING INFORMATION TO GITTINGS WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE STORY
TO HAVE ALSO SURFACED IN THEIR OWN PAPERS. WE HAVE NOT SEEN A
REPEAT ELSEWHERE. I SHOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD
CONSIDER APPROACHING THE GUARDIAN TO SEEK CLARIFICATION ON THIS ARTICLE.
CRADOCK
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LRUITED
ED/HKD
The inclined
Is exquin exy win of the Guardion
at some Loret.
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
COPIES TO:
FD/FED
MR BURROWS
ED/PLANNING STAFF
MR MARTIN
PS
ED/PUSD
PS/LADY YOUNG
MR FLOWER
MR COLES
PS/R LUCE
PS/PUS
!
STR J BULLARD
MR GIFFARD
News
Depr
мај
SIR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER
LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
PUSD
NO 10 DOWNING ST
SIR A PARSONS
MR WALKER,
11
n
RESEARCH DEPT COCGs)
MR ROBERTS NEWS D
1877
MR DONALD
MR WRIGHT
CONFIDENTIAL
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