TNAG-2294-FCO40-3308-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1991 — Page 13

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CONFIDENTIAL

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From: R F Cornish

News Department

Date: 6 March 1991

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HONG KONG: RELATIONS WITH THE PRESS

1.

&

paper- RAP 7/3

Thank you for your minute of 5 March, enclosing a draft submission about a campaign to educate opinion and media in the UK. I have also seen Mr Davies' minute of 6 March and

Mr Paul's of 1 March.

2.

We certainly need to do something like this, because the Dalai Lama's visit will be tricky and, as we have seen, Bernard Levin and Co need very little prompting to castigate us over our approach to China about Hong Kong, against the wellknown human rights background.

3.

It will need to be started quickly because we shall be on the defensive once there is a pattern of criticism of

It will need to our handling of the Dalai Lama's visit.

lead by arguing the common sense case for increased cooperation with China over Hong Kong issues (the Secretary of State's "leap forward"). As Mr Davies suggested, the timing of an accouncement of the Secretary of State's visit will need careful thought. From a News Department point of view, an early announcement will give maximum time to prepare the ground. In any case, once it becomes clear that

CONFIDENTIAL