TNAG-1985-FCO40-2818-Presentation-of-UK-policy-on-Hong-Kong-to-the-media-1989 — Page 54

CONFIDENTIAL PERSONAL

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MDTTAN 1628

CONFIDENTIAL

PERSONAL

FM FCO

cc Mr Paul

Mis

MED 301/1

Cc:

TO TELELETTER GOVERNOR HONG KONG

TELELETTER

OF 20183OZ JUNE 89

Mr Wow

Mr Leicester

PA

N

26/6

26/6

2.

FROM: RJT MCLAREN, AUSS, FCO

TO:

SIR D WILSON KCMG, HONG KONG

PS

PS/Lord Glenarthur PS/PUS

Mr Gillmore

Mr Paul, HKD

Mr Millington, FED

Mr Burns, News Dept

Mr Muir, Information Dept

PRESENTATION OF BRITISH POLICIES IN HONG KONG

1.

THE INTENSELY EMOTIONAL REACTION IN HONG KONG TO THE

BRUTALITIES INFLICTED BY THE PLA IN PEKING AND THE ASSOCIATED

CRITICISMS OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT POSITIONS HAVE CAUSED US TO

LOOK AGAIN AT THE QUESTION OF HOW BEST TO PRESENT AND DEFEND

BRITISH GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN HONG KONG.

2.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS PROBLEM HAS A LONG HISTORY AND THERE ARE NO EASY SOLUTIONS. BUT IT SEEMS ONLY TOO LIKELY THAT HMG'S POLICIES, PARTICULARLY ON NATIONALITY AND BOAT PEOPLE AND PERHAPS ON OTHER SUBJECTS AS WELL, WILL BE SUBJECT TO INCREASING CRITICISM IN HONG KONG, AND THAT THIS WILL MAKE YOUR TASK, AS WELL AS OURS, MORE DIFFICULT. IN THIS SITUATION, I DO NOT THINK

WE CAN MAINTAIN THE PRESENT POSITION WHEREBY THE BRITISH

GOVERNMENT'S CASE EFFECTIVELY GOES BY DEFAULT WHEN ITS POLICIES

COME UNDER ATTACK BECAUSE NO ONE IS TASKED TO DEFEND THEM. 3. MINISTERS DO OF COURSE GET EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN AND

DEFEND THEIR POLICIES WHEN THEY COME TO HONG KONG. AT OTHER TIMES, THEIR STATEMENTS IN PARLIAMENT AND ELSEWHERE IN THE UK ARE USUALLY PICKED UP BY THE HONG KONG MEDIA FROM THE WIRE

SERVICES OR FROM STRINGERS IN LONDON. THE GIS SOMETIMES HELPS

WITH THE DISSEMINATION OF MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS AND INTERVIEWS.

BUT GIS IS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S INFORMATION MACHINE, NOT

HMG'S AND IT EXISTS TO PROMOTE THE INTERESTS AND DEFEND THE

POLICIES OF HONG KONG AND THE HKG. IT IS PRECISELY WHERE UK AND

HONG KONG INTERESTS DIVERGE THAT THE NEED TO EXPLAIN HMG'S

POLICIES ARISES IN ITS MOST ACUTE FORM. GIS HAS NEVER SEEN THAT

AS PART OF ITS TASK AND CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO DO SO.

TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT I HAVE IN MIND A MODEST UK INFORMATION OPERATION, GEARED TO PRESENT AND EXPLAIN BRITISH

4.

POLICIES LIKELY TO PROVE CONTROVERSIAL IN HONG KONG AND DEFEND THEM AGAINST LOCAL CRITICISMS, DRAWING ON MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

AND OTHER ESTABLISHED TEXTS. THE ONLY HOME FOR SUCH AN

OPERATION WHICH WOULD MAKE ANY SENSE IS THE BRITISH TRADE

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