TNAG-1298-FCO40-1653-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 74

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FM PEKING 06100OZ APR 84

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- 9 APR 1984

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See193)..

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 673 OF 6 APRIL

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

FOR GOULDEN, NEWS DEPT

PA

69/4

YOUR TELNO 321: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO PEKING: PRESS

183) ARRANGEMENTS

1. WE SPOKE ON THE LINES OF PARAGRAPH 1 OF YOUR TUR TO

LOCAL BRITISH CORRESPONDENTS AT OUR WEEKLY MEETING WITH THEM

THIS MORNING 6 APRIL. WE ASSUME THAT HONG KONG WILL LET IT BE

KNOWN TO HK JOURNALISTS WHO ARE LIKELY TO COME HERE.

2. WE AGREE THAT IF THERE IS TO BE UNATTRIBUTABLE BRIEFING

FOR BRITISH CORRESPONDENTS DURING THE VISIT YOU WILL HAVE

TO SPEAK TO THEM SEPARATELY FROM THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS.

HOWEVER WE ADVISE STRONGLY AGAINST RELEGATING THE HONG KONG

JOURNAL ISTS TO DENNIS. IF THEY ARE SEEN BY ANYONE OTHER

THAN YOU, THEY WILL CONCLUDE THAT THEY ARE GETTING SECOND CLASS

TREATMENT. FORM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONTENT EXCLAMATION MARK

3. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT IS SAID IN BACKGROUND

BRICFING ARRANGEMENTS IN THE UK BEFORE THE VISIT STARTS.

EVANS

LIMITED

NEWS D

PROTOCOL D

HKD

FED

PS

PS/PUS

SIR P CRADOCK

MR WILSON

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