TNAG-2185-FCO40-3122-Ethnic-minorities-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 131

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C D Powell Esq

10 Downing Street

HINDUSTAN TIMES INTERVIEW WITH THE PRIME MINISTER

With my letter of 26 March I enclosed the draft text of a written interview for Mr H K Dua, Editor in Chief of the Hindustan Times. The Prime Minister has agreed to a short interview and photocall at 9.45 am on Tuesday 3 April.

Mr Dua is 53. He has been editor in chief of the Hindustan Times since April 1987, having spent most of his career with the Indian Express. He is close to the present Government, and one of India's most respected journalists. A short, avuncular figure, he has a quiet, friendly manner. He has been attending a Wilton Park Conference on South Asia between 26-24 March.

Dua has told us that he wants to ask the Prime Minister

for her personal views of her time in office, and also to pursue briefly the themes in the written interview (which concentrated on Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union). On Lithuania I enclose a copy of the briefing prepared for the Prime Minister's use at Question Time on 29 March.

I am

also enclosing supplementary style points on Kashmir and on Sikh extremist issues, with a copy of the adjournment debate on 22 March, in which Mr Sainsbury set out our position on both issues in some detail. Judging from what Dua has told us, he is unlikely to raise these issues, but in the event he may be unable to resist asking at least about Kashmir.

POWABJ/1

Private Secretary