TNAG-2129-FCO40-3044-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 83

Ms Marsden

HKD

CONFIDENTIAL

HKCISI

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

29 JAN 1990

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

from: PS/Mr Maude

ate: 16 January 1990

Cc: PS

PS/Mr Waldegrave Mr Gillmore o/r

Mr McLaren o/r

Mr Slater

Mr Whitehead, News Dept Mr Beetham, MAED

23

HONG KONG: IVORY

1. David Trippier, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, telephoned Mr Maude at lunch time today to talk about press handling of the announcement about Hong Kong's Ivory reservation. He had seen the request from the Prime Minister that both Departments should make a great effort to get this right.

2.

Mr Maude confirmed that the Secretary of State had not announced this in Hong Kong. He suggested that the story the media would want to run would be about a split between Mr Patten and Mr Hurd. If only Foreign Office Ministers defended the announcement, that would bear the story out.

3.

Mr Trippier agreed that we would have to sell it as best as possible. Officials at the Department of the Environment would be in touch with the Foreign Office. He saw Mr Maude's point that it would give the wrong impression if only Foreign Office Ministers defended the announcement. We would have to play it by ear.

4. In the light of this conversation, Mr Maude concludes that we should

direct media enquiries about this to the Department of the Environment.

Niarla Brewer прада

Nicola Brewer

Private Secretary to Mr Francis Maude

CONFIDENTIAL