TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 153

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CONFIDENTIAL

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HKK 040/57

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 1 DEC 1984

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

KY

PA

Action Taken

GPS100

CONFIDENTIAL

FN HONG KONG 12015OZ DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3769 OF 12 DECEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

PA

PEKING TELNO 2919: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: PRESS BRIEFING

1. WE AGREE THAT THE HONG KONG PRESS WHO ARE COVERING THE VISIT

TO PEKING WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO ABIDE BY THE RULES OF AN UNATTRIBUTABLE BRIEFING, WHETHER POOL ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE OR NOT. WE THEREFORE FAVOUR OPTION 3 IN PEKING TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE (A BRIEFING BY THE HEAD OF NEWS DEPARTMENT).

2. WE WOULD PROPOSE TO TAKE THE LINE, IN RESPONSE TO ANY QUERIES

OR CRITICISM, THAT THE HONG KONG PRESS WILL HAVE THEIR

OPPORTUNITY TO QUESTION THE PRIME MINISTER AT HER PRESS

CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG.

HADDON-CAVE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITED

HDINEUS D

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG PS/ER LUCE PS/PUS

MR DEREK THOMAS

SIR W HARDING

MR GOODALL

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

COPIES TO:-

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF TH EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO:- (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR POWELL NO 10 DOWNING ST.

MR INGHAM NO 10 DOWNING ST.

MR MARTIN ASST STAFF CABINET OFFICE MR CARTLEDGE CABINET OFFICE

MR COLVIN CABINET OFFICE PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR P CRADOCK ROOK K195

SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR KELLY TREASURY

CONFIDENTIAL

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