TNAG-2008-FCO40-2856-Basic-Law-constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-relations-1990 — Page 85

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 07010OZ HONG KONG TELNO 57

OF 06160OZ JANUARY 90

AND TO DESKBY 07010OZ PEKING

Ниё

HK B 012 / 1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

24 JAN 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTRY Action Taken

172025

MDHOAN 0668

ра

19%,

FROM NEWS DEPARTMENT

MY TELNO 2401 OF 30 NOVEMBER 1989

1. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE SUNDAY CORRESPONDENT, ACTING ON INFORMATION FROM HONG KONG, WILL RUN A STORY THIS WEEKEND ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT SENDING A SPECIAL ENVOY TO PEKING.

2.

THE CORRESPONDENT INITIALLY MADE THEIR ENQUIRY TO US AND WE DEPLOYED THE LINE IN TUR IN A DOWNBEAT WAY AND THE CONVERSATION VEERED TO THE SUBJECT OF THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT. BUT THEIR INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY NAMED SIR P CRADOCK AND THEY PUT THE QUESTION DIRECT TO THE DOWNING STREET PRESS OFFICE. NO. 10

COULD NOT DENY THE STORY.

3. WE HAVE SOUGHT TO PERSUADE THE CORRESPONDENT NOT TO SENSATIONALIZE THE VISIT AS IT IS PERFECTLY REASONABLE THAT WE SHOULD MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH THE CHINESE AT OFFICIAL LEVEL. IN ADDITION THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TAKES THE UNIQUENESS OUT OF THE VISIT A POINT THE CORRESPONDENT APPEARED TO ACCEPT.

HURD

―

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

a

MAIN

NO DISTRIBUTION

HD/HKD.

HD/FED

HD/NEWS

PS

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

SIR P CRADOCK,

(NO 10 DOWNING STREET)

NNNN

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CONFIDENTIAL