PS/Mr Renton
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Ридера
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FROM I A Roberts
News Department
DATE 10 January 1986
cc :HKD
MR RENTON'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG :
REQUEST FOR INTERVIEW
1.
-NIT
Hong Kong telegram number 91 réports a request from two Hong Kong journalists who will be visiting London to cover the debate on nationality in the House of Commons for on the record interviews with Mr Renton as a curtain raiser to his visit.
2. I am very much against granting an interview in these circumstances. It would be difficult to have the interview before the debate and there is not time to fit it in after the debate and before the Minister's departure. Even if it were possible to fit it in there are good grounds for declining to do so. As Hong Kong TUR makes clear, we would have to make the transcript available to any journalist. The press conference in Hong Kong will be quite difficult enough without having already furnished material on the contentious issues which would enable journalists to come back at Mr Renton with further difficult questions. Mr Galsworthy agrees.
3.
I suggest however, that in reply we should simply allude to the practical difficulties. I submit a draft telegram to Hong Kong.
It Robert
I A Roberts
HRR 027/5
VED IN REGISTRY
16 JAN 1986
PA
T REGISTAY
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