TNAG-2294-FCO40-3308-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1991 — Page 18

CONFIDENTIAL

From

RA Burns

Date:

5 March 1991

MoMajor

Cc:

Mr McLaren

Mr Paul

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HKCO26/2

RECEIVED IN RESTRY

18 MAR 1991

OFFICH

REGISTRY

Action Taken

Mr Davies, FED

Mr Cornish, News Department

Mr Bickham

Mr Cooper, Planners

Mr Bates, PRU

HONG KONG : RELATIONS WITH THE PRESS

1.

In your minute of 1 March (not to all), you started a discussion on a campaign to educate press and public opinion in the UK in the lead-up to the Secretary of State's proposed visit to Hong Kong and China. The Secretary of State commissioned this at his meeting on 20 February. He will be referring to the problem in the Private Secretary's letter of today to No 10.

2. We need to be as specific as possible. I find it difficult to see that we can rely greatly on the Governor, although he will be seeing the editorial board of The Independent, because he will be away in Europe and then back in Hong Kong for most of the next few weeks and, in any case, has his own agenda to peddle. I also find it hard to see how we can make real inroads on opinion without the direct involvement of the Secretary of State, time-consuming though this may be.

I

3.

It would be helpful if the Planners could indicate whether there are any likely speaking engagements which the Secretary of State or other Ministers might exploit. should be grateful if Mr Cornish would tighten up the suggestions on the press and media front. Could we suggest that the Secretary of State invite the Diplomatic Correspondents in for a drink? We certainly need to prepare written briefing material. But I think the editors will need to be tackled on a one-to-one basis: I believe that that worked successfully during the Gulf crisis.

4. I should be grateful if Mr Bickham would reflect on the political contacts that need to be made and opportunities we should exploit. Perhaps the PRU will have some ideas too.

Otherwise, I should be grateful for any other ideas, suggestions or amendments to the attached draft.

5.

Плановит

R A Burns

A19AAC

CONFIDENTIAL