TNAG-1749-FCO40-2468-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 14

CONFIDENTIAL

Secretary of State's visit to Chi Ma Wan and Green Island was a major opportunity for him to get favourable publicity in the British and local media. In the event ITN failed to get a single frame of footage which they could use. This was because there were too many milling journalists at the fixed press points; and very heavy-handed security blocking the camera angles. Thus, the arrangements made by GIS for the camps visit were very much self-defeating, at least so far as one major British television outlet was concerned. What was needed was a smaller pool and more flexible arrangements, instead of a rigidly organised scrum. Hong Kong will argue that the arrangements were best geared to stop intrusive door stepping. But if, for example, a television pool had been created comprising one local and one British crew, they could have followed the Secretary of State round without becoming too obtrusive.

денее

CJR Meyer

CONFIDENTIAL