TNAG-1747-FCO40-2466-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 6

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

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM:

CO Hum

Hong Kong Department

сква 027/3

DATE:

12 May 1988

Cc:

Private Secretary

Mr Meyer, News Department

are 102

HONG KONG: SECRETARY OF STATE'S BRIEFING FOR THE MEDIA

1.

After the Secretary of State's office meeting yesterday afternoon I undertook to let you have a first draft of an outline for the Secretary of State's opening remarks to the media. This is attached.

2. As agreed, the outline takes as its starting point the history of the negotiations of the Joint Declaration. I feel that there is however a danger It would be in going into these historical matters in very much more detail. all too easy for the briefing to seem like an exercise in historical self-justification, without any great relevance to our policy towards Hong Kong today. The historical section therefore takes up only a relatively small part of the total outline, laying the foundation for our pitch on representative government, the Basic Law and our continuing commitment to Hong Kong.

3. It would be very helpful to have your early comments. submit something for this evening's box.

I undertook to

Cortan

CO Hum

CONFIDENTIAL

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