TNAG-1307-FCO40-1664-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 46

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HKCK 040/1

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OO HONG KONG

GRS 185

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FM FCO 21140OZ FEB 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 319 OF 21 FEBRUARY

22 FEB 1984

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND BRUNEI (FOR PS/ MR LUCE)

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: INTERVIEW WITH MR LUCE

1201.

~ CH27K

MR LUCE HAS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM JILL HARTLEY OF THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, ASKING FOR AN INTERVIEW WHILE THE MINISTER IS IN HONG KONG. MS HARTLEY SAYS SHE REALISES THAT THE CONTENTS OF THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND HOPES THE TONE OF THE INTERVIEW WOULD BE MORE ABOUT RICHARD LUCE, THE MAN. HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE NATURALLY INTERESTED IN YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU SEE THE REGION DEVELOP'.

2.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE, COPIED TO PS/MR LUCE IN BRUNEI. OUR INITIAL REACTION IS THAT AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SCMP, WHILE NOT OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY, WOULD BE OF SOME GENERAL VALUE. IT WOULD OFFER MR LUCE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, APART FROM HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, TO DESCRIBE THE CLOSE ATTENTION WITH WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG AND TO EXPRESS HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE. ALL THIS WOULD HELP REINFORCE THE GENERAL AIM OF HIS VISIT.

HOWE

See 126

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

ED/HKD

HD/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

D/PUSD

D/HD/PUSD (MR FLOWER)

RES.B. (MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

SIR W HARDING

MR DONALD

AR WRIGHT

SIR C TICKELL

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVS

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST.

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE

MR BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR P CRADOCK RM K195

BIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

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