TNAG-1632-FCO40-2248-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-1987 — Page 161

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 2341

OF 041415Z SEPTEMBER 87

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

FROM HKD

MIPT:

LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: INTERVIEW WITH BBC

EXTERNAL SERVICES

1.

FOLLOWS:

Q1.

A1

TEXT OF BBC'S QUESTIONS AND OUR DRAFT REPLIES IS AS

BROAD PURPOSE OF VISIT?

TOOK OFFICE IN JUNE AS FCO MINISTER OF STATE WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG. REGARD IT AS ESSENTIAL THAT I SHOULD VISIT TERRITORY AS EARLY AS I CAN TO BRIEF MYSELF FULLY ON CURRENT HONG KONG ISSUES AND SEE DEVELOPMENT AT FIRST HAND.

Q2,

-

OR

WILL YOU BE MEETING BRITISH AND HONG KONG OFFICIALS OTHER PERSONALITIES, INCLUDING PEOPLE LIKE XU JIATUN, THE HEAD OF THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY OFFICE AND IN FACT PEKING'S REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG.?

A2.

WILL HAVE A VERY FULL PROGRAMME DURING MY THREE DAY VISIT. SHALL AIM TO MEET WIDE RANGE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE, INCLUDING BUSINESSMEN AND LOCAL COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. EXPECT I SHALL HAVE CHANCE TO MEET

MR XU JIATUN SOCIALLY DURING MY VISIT.

Q3.

IS YOUR VISIT GEARED IN ANY WAY TO THE PLANNED VISIT TO PEKING BY THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG A FEW DAYS LATER?

A3.

NO: THOUGH USEFUL OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH GOVERNOR

HIS PLANS FOR HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT.

Q4

IS YOUR VISIT A REFLECTION OF THE NEED FELT HERE TO

MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS CLOSELY IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997, AND WOULD YOU

EXPECT TO GO TO HONG KONG REGULARLY?

A4.

YES: DO OF COURSE FOLLOW HONG KONG DEVELOPMENTS CLOSELY FROM LONDON, BUT ALWAYS HELPFUL TO SEE THINGS AT FIRST HAND.. HOPE TO HAVE MANY CHANCES TO REVISIT HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE.

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