TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 178

of the world.

IN CONFIDENCE

4. I should be grateful for your input if possible by

Friday 17 August; but recognise that this is a tight deadline given the holiday period. Departments which do not reply by then will be assumed to have no comments. Nil

returns are not required.

5. We shall consider proposed changes with the MOD and

Cabinet Office, with whom the MS Priorities Paper has to be

agreed. For financial and technical reasons it may not be

possible to meet all requests for additional or up-graded

requirements (and the MOD/Cabinet Office may oppose

deletions or changes of category proposed by the FCO).

When the paper has been agreed by Whitehall users it is

then put to MS for their comments.

6.

You might find it useful to remind desk officers that

if at any time they should have a particular need for special coverage of any topic (either within the agreed priorities or in addition) for a limited period, we can ask

MS for their assistance. They will do their best to help,

either by increased coverage within SWB's (at the expense

of other topics) or by supplying unpublished material

direct to Departments. In urgent cases MS passes material

by fax as well as providing the bare facts by phone.

duty officers are briefed to contact the Resident Clerk

outside office hours if they believe the circumstances

warrant it, or if specifically asked to do so by this

Section at the request of an FCO Department. It is not

necessary to include an area as a high priority in the

priorities paper to ensure special coverage of major events

or emergencies as and when they arise.

MS

7. As you may know MS are carrying out an internal review of their operations and as part of that review consulted

FCO and other Whitehall users on the extent to which the

SWB and Newsfile met their requirements. The review

process is expected to be completed by September, we hope

IN CONFIDENCE