171
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FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 25100OZ
TELNO 2010
OF 25100OZ MAY 88
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MKB 027/3
6
047614 MDHIAN 0704
TOP COPY
DICT ?
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
ON FURTHER REFLECTION, I SEE CONSIDERABLE MERIT IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE VISITING CHI MA WAN AS WELL AS GREEN ISLAND.
2.
THERE IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY THAT THERE WILL NOT, ON THE DAY, BE MANY NEW ARRIVALS AT GREEN ISLAND EVEN THOUGH, RECENTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN ALL TOO MANY. IN ADDITION I SEE ADVANTAGE IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE BEING ABLE TO SAY THAT HE HAS SEEN FOR HIMSELF THE LONG TERM FACILITIES IN CLOSED CAMPS. I HAVE THEREFORE HAD ANOTHER LOOK AT THE PROGRAMME TO SEE IF TWO VISITS COULD SOMEHOW BE FITTED IN. THE ANSWER IS THAT THEY COULD PROVIDING THE BRIEFING MEETING AT GOVERN- MENT HOUSE IS ADVANCED FROM 9.30 A.M. TO 9.00 A.M.
3.
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MIFT CONTAINS A DRAFT PROGRAMME. YOU WILL SEE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO SPEND 50 MINUTES AT CHIA MA WAN (ALTHOUGH TRAVEL FROM CAMP TO HELIPAD WILL CLIP THIS A LITTLE) AND 35 MINUTES AT GREEN ISLAND. THIS SHOULD ALLOW TIME FOR A PRETTY THOROUGH VISIT.
WE WOULD LAY ON SEPARATE PRESS FACILITIES AT BOTH CENTRES, BUT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT INDIVIDUAL JOURNALISTS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.
4.
GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION DESKBY 260100Z THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO GO AHEAD ON THIS BASIS. IT IS A TOUGH SCHEDULE BUT I THINK THE SUBJECT DESERVES FULL TREATMENT.
WILSON
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DISTRIBUTION
25
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25
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HKD
PS
PS LORD GLENARTHUR
PAGE
PS/MR EGGAR MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
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