TNAG-1840-FCO40-2615-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 10

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG

TELNO 75

OF 011815Z MARCH 89

AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

94)

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP Cor

HKB 011/ DIST ?

119

170645

MDLOAN 1703.

YOUR TELNO 94: FAC ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG: PRESS ARRANGEMENTS

1.

WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO MAKE THE PRESS ARRANGEMENTS AND ACCEPT THAT IT WOULD NOT BE REALISTIC TO ASK YOU TO TAKE THIS ON.

2.

WE HAVE THEREFORE CONSIDERED WHETHER WE SHOULD SUGGEST TO THE COMMITTEE THAT THEY TAKE THEIR OWN PRESS OFFICER. OUR PROVISIONAL CONCLUSION IS THAT THIS IS LIKELY TO BE MOST DESIRABLE, AND PROBABLY ESSENTIAL. HOWEVER, A PRESS OFFICER WOULD LACK THE LOCAL FEEL NECESSARY TO DO THE JOB PROPERLY, AND WE THEREFORE FEEL THAT THE BEST SOLUTION MIGHT BE FOR A MEMBER OF THE GIS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE FAC WHILE THEY ARE IN HONG KONG TO OFFER ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE AS NECESSARY.

3.

GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.

HOWE

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

30

LIMITED

HKD

FED

NEWS DEPT

ADDITIONAL

HKGO, LONDON

1

DISTRIBUTION

31

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

MISS PESTELL

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL