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we are making a big effort, journalists will soon guess that we are doing so because a visit is in the offing.
4.
There is not a great deal of interest in China/Hong Kong at the moment and, partly for that reason, I believe there is a lot to be said for launching the campaign in a
high profile manner. As you suggest, this could be a speech
An alternative would be an
if there is a suitable slot.
article in a leading newspaper in the name of the Secretary of State. If we move fast we could aim for the Sunday Times
on 10 March. If we miss that, the Independent or the
Guardian
-
-
both read by numbers of our potential critics
over this would be good bets. But again we would need to
get there before the Dalai Lama is upon us.
5.
Following the launch, whether by speech or article, we need to capitalise rapidly on the momentum created: I suggest the following activities:
(i)
Төлөөм
(ii)
No time? Think.
(iii)
(iv)
activate senior Hong Kong visitors. If they can put our case for us they would do so with great
credibility. I believe some are coming to London to
meet the Prime Minister soon. News Department would be
happy to advise on interviews they might give, placing
articles etc. But in the interests of credibility we
should not be seen to be making the running.
Governor of Hong Kong. I accept that he has little time and his own agenda. But it would be helpful if he
was able to do something in addition to seeing the
editorial board of the Independent. There are a number
of useful interviews he could given, or he could meet some good journalists over a drink.
Lord Caithness's series of lunches with key
journalists.
I agree entirely that briefings for Opposition figures
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