TNAG-1986-FCO40-2819-Presentation-of-UK-policy-on-Hong-Kong-to-the-media-1989 — Page 142

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YOUR TELNO 219 HONG KONG

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MDHIAN 4081

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FOR NEWS DEPT FROM DHC IN HIGH COMMISSIONER'S ABSENCE ON TOUR

1. I APPRECIATE THE HEAVY DEMANDS ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S TIME BUT HOPE THAT, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, HE WOULD BE WILLING TO ACCEDE TO CBC'S REQUEST TO BE INTERVIEWED FOR QUOTE AS IT HAPPENS UNQUOTE.

2. HONG KONG IS A TOPIC OF SUBSTANTIAL AND GROWING INTEREST HERE. IMMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG, NOTWITHSTANDING THE ACCOMPANYING INWARD INVESTMENT, IS BECOMING SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL ESPECIALLY IN VANCOUVER. INTEREST IN WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER 1997, AND IN BRITISH POLICY, ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS RIGHT OF ABODE FOR BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS HAS SHARPENED FOLLOWING THE TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE. SO HAS

ALREADY CRITICAL COMMENT IN THE MEDIA, BOTH ON THIS ISSUE AND ON THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE CON WHICH RESPONSIBILITY IS SEEN AS RESTING WITH HMG MORE THAN HONG KONG). ON THE OTHER HAND THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAS AS YOU KNOW BEEN GENERALLY HELPFUL, WITH MR MULRONEY BEING PARTICULARLY (AND PUBLICLY) SUPPORTIVE DURING HIS VISIT TO

LONDON.

3. QUOTE AS IT HAPPENS UNQUOTE IS A PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

QUOTE PHONE-OUT UNQUOTE SHOW WHICH HAS BEEN BROADCAST BY CBC RADIO FOR SOME TWENTY YEARS. IT GOES ON AIR EACH WEEKDAY FROM 6.30 PM 8 PM ACROSS CANADA AND ATTRACTS A POLITICALLY-AWARE AUDIENCE OF SOME 3 QUARTERS OF A MILLION. AN ADDITIONAL PLUS IS THAT THE FIRST HOUR OF

THE PROGRAMME IS RELAYED TO FORTY-TWO PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS IN

THE UNITED STATES AND IS ALSO RE-BROADCAST WORLDWIDE ON SHORTWAVE

RADIO BY RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL CBC'S EQUIVALENT OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE.

4. WE HAVE ASKED THE PRODUCER FOR AN INDICATION OF HIS OBJECTIVES. HE

HAS TOLD US THAT THE INTERVIEW WOULD CONCETRATE MAINLY ON THE

PROBLEMS OF BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS AND THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG IN

THE LIGHT OF THE RECENT UPRISING IN CHINA. REFUGEES AND VBPS WERE

ALSO LIKELY TO BE MENTIONED BUT THESE TOPICS WOULD BE OF LESSER

CONCERN. HE ADDED THAT THE INTERVIEW COULD BE CONDUCTED AT THE

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