TNAG-1876-FCO40-2667-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Japan-1989 — Page 113

CONFIDENTIAL

FM TOKYO

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER

OF 15062OZ AUGUST 89

CONFIDENTIAL

Hve 13

020/13

Replica

ре

4

026711

MDTTAN 1918

FROM G H FRY, HEAD OF CHANCERY, TOKYO FOLLOWING FOR ALAN PAUL ESQ, HKD, FCO

HONG KONG/JAPAN

18/

1. WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING HOW TO GET OUR MESSAGES ABOUT HONG KONG ACROSS TO THE JAPANESE MEDIA, AND THERE ARE TWO POINTS WHICH WE THINK WE NEED TO PUT TO YOU.

2. THE FIRST IS TO NOTE THE OPPORTUNITY WHICH THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT IN SEPTEMBER REPRESENTS TO PUT OVER A POSITIVE VIEW ON HONG KONG TO JAPANESE OPINION-FORMERS. I AM SURE THAT WITH FED YOU WILL ALREADY BE THINKING ABOUT BRIEFING FOR THIS.

3. THE SECOND IS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR WITH ONE OF THE SERIOUS MONTHLIES HERE WOULD BE USEFUL IN REACHING DECISION-TAKERS. IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE US WITH A FULL-ISH STATEMENT ON HONG KONG WHICH WE COULD USE FURTHER WITH OUR OWN CONTACTS. WE WOULD EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE. WE ASSUME THAT WE SHALL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE GOVERNOR RETURNS FROM LEAVE/CONSULTATIONS BEFORE TRYING TO FIX THIS UP. IN THE MEANTIME WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION THAT YOU SEE NO OBJECTION TO SUCH A PROPOSAL. IN PARTICULAR WE

ARE AWARE THAT THE GOVERNOR TAKES A DIFFERENT POSITION FROM HMG ON CITIZENSHIP/IMMIGRATION, BUT ASSUME THAT THIS NEED NOT INHIBIT US FROM PURSUING THIS INITIATIVE IN JAPAN.

SIGNED...G H FRY

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