TNAG-1991-FCO40-2831-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Nationality-(Hong-Kong)-Selectio-1990 — Page 12

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HKD340/18

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

12 FEB 1990

130002

MDHIAN 9611

FM HONG KONG

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

TO DESKBY

18123OZ FCO

INDEX

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Action Taken

enter

TELNO 4153

OF 181134Z DECEMBER 89

STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN, AUSS FROM GOVERNOR MY TELNO 4139: NATIONALITY

✓ 28/12

I MET WITH HEAP THIS MORNING (18 DECEMBER) TO DISCUSS CONTINGENCY ARRANGEMENTS FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN LONDON ON WEDNESDAY. WE HAVE

AGREED PROVISIONALLY ON THE FOLLOWING HANDLING OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE:

A)

HEAP WILL BE SPEAKING TO THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND TO LEADING BUSINESS FIGURES IN INCHAPES, SWIRES AND JARDINES HERE SHORTLY BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN LONDON IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM TO GIVE SOME SORT OF POSITIVE REACTION. WE FEEL THAT MR MAUDE MIGHT WISH TO SPEAK TO THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION, (I.E. HENRY KESWICK) AND THE SWIRE BROTHERS IF HE WISHES TO PREPARE THE GROUND WITH THE LONDON HONG KONG ''HONGS'' I KNOW PRIVATELY FROM THE SWIRES THAT THEY ARE WELL SEIZED OF THE NEED TO MAKE SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS TO

HELP MINISTERS WITH THEIR POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES. THERE IS NO NEED

FOR HIM TO SPEAK SPECIALLY TO THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK SINCE

PURVES IS A MEMBER OF EXCO.

B)

·

OSBORNE WILL ALSO BE BRIEFING HIS CONTACTS IN THE PRESS ORALLY AND ON BACKGROUND ON THE SAME LINES.

C) IN ADDITION TO ACTIONS IN TUR, I WILL BRIEF A SELECT GROUP OF EDITORS SHORTLY BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT, ON A STRICT BACKGROUND BASIS AND WITH A CLEAR EMBARGO, IN ORDER TO TRY TO PREPARE A POSITIVE PRESS REACTION HERE.

2.

TO ENABLE US TO BRIEF ON THE LINES OF PARA 1 IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE AN ADVANCE OUTLINE TEXT OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WILL BE MADE IN PARLIAMENT SHORTLY BEFORE IT IS DELIVERED, TOGETHER WITH USEFUL SUPPLEMENTARIES. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WILL THEN CONFIRM BY FLASH TELEGRAM OR FAX TO ME AND TO HEAP THE ACTUAL TERMS OF THE STATEMENT. THE FINAL VERSION WILL THEN BE PUT OUT BY GIS AND BTC IN THE NORMAL WAY.

3.

I AM TELEGRAPHING SEPARATELY ON A LINE TO TAKE WITH THE

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