TNAG-2040-FCO40-2904-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-David-Wilson--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 42

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PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR

VATELNO 504: VISIT TO LONDON: JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

I AM GRATEFUL TO MINISTERS FOR TRYING TO THINK OF THINGS WHICH

I AM DOUBTFUL WOULD HAVE A BENEFICIAL PUBLICITY EFFECT. HOWEVER,

17 WOULD BE POST ABOUT THE USEFULNESS OF A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE. UNUSUAL. SO FAR AS I KNOW IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. JOURNALISTS WOULD ASSUME THERE WAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO ANNOUNCE. WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THERE WAS NOT, THEY WOULD TEND TO CONCENTRATE ON PROBING FOR DIFFERENCES OF APPROACH BETWEEN LONDON AND HONG

THEY ARE EASILY MANAGED XONG. IN THE FEW POSAR WHERE THESE EXIST,

TACKLING THEM ON A DUPL IN SEPARATE MEETINGS WITH THE PRESS. BU BILLING WOULD LEAD EITHER TO BEING BLAND OR FEEDING STORIES ABOUT DIVERGENCE.

THUS FAR I HAVE BEEN PRESENTING MY VISIT AS A ROUTINE ONE TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MINISTERS, SENIOR OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ETC (MY TELNO 720).

TO BE GAINED FROM 3. SEEN FROM HERE THERE IS NO PARTICULAR BENEFIT A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE. THERE IS HOWEVER A SUBSTANTIAL POTENTIAL DOWN SIDE. IS THERE SOME POTENTIAL U K BENEFIT WHICH NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT E.G. ON THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE? IF SO WOULD IT BE HELPED BY ME JOINING THE MINISTER IN AN INFORMAL BACKGROUND BRIEFING OF SELLTED JOURNALIS78? AS YOU KNOW, I SHALL BE MEETING A SMALL NUMBER OF JOUNALISTS OVER LUNCH ON 9 MARCH BUT IT WOULD BE EABY ENOUGH TO RING THE CHANGES.

WILSON

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