TNAG-2352-FCO40-3422-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 85

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MDLOAN 7494

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TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1304

OF 16100OZ JULY 91

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الال؟

YOUR TELNO 2232: LORD CAITHNESS' PRESS ARRANGEMENTS

1. WE AGREE WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS SPECIFIED IN YOUR TELNO 2233.

2.

WE ARE HAPPY WITH THE IDEA OF A BACKGROUND BRIEFING FOR

JOURNALISTS ON FRIDAY 26 JULY. IN ADDITION WE ARE CONSIDERING FOLLOWING THIS WITH A FEW ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND ADVICE ON WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED WE WOULD AIM AT A SMALL SELECTION FROM RADIO, TV, NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES.

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3. FOR THE COMMUNITY LUNCH WE WOULD PREFER NOT (NOT) TO HAVE MEDIA (OTHER THAN THE INVITED EDITORS) PRESENT. HOWEVER, TO TRY TO AVOID ILL FEELING IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF A FEED (IE LOUDSPEAKER) COULD BE SET UP IN A NEARBY ROOM WHICH COULD BE USED BY ANY JOURNALISTS WHO WISH TO LISTEN. WE ENVISAGE A SHORT STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER AFTER WHICH HE WILL INVITE QUESTIONS.

4.

AT THIS STAGE WE DO NOT WISH TO RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A PRESS CONFERENCE. WE CAN TAKE A FINAL DECISION DURING THE COURSE OF THE VISIT BUT, DEPENDING ON COVERAGE, WE MIGHT CONSIDER EXPANDING THE FINAL STATEMENT AT THE AIRPORT INTO A MINI PRESS CONFERENCE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE DEPARTURE.

5. YOU MAY WISH TO BE AWARE THAT WE ARE AIMING FOR LORD CAITHNESS TO DO A SCENE-SETTING INTERVIEW WITH SCMP TO APPEAR ON

22 JULY.

HURD

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