CONFIDENTIAL
A briefing breakfast by Mr Yaxley for writers of foreign leaders in the UK press on 7 October, as well as briefing of local Hong Kong stringers later that day.
Possibly an op-ed piece by the Secretary of State in a Sunday newspaper: News Department propose to reserve a space; content will need to take account of initial reactions.
Business Community
6.
Mr Yaxley intends to telephone the main players (ie the executive members of the Hong Kong Association) during the morning of 7 October.
Posts
7. We will produce a guidance telegram to issue on the evening of 6 October, and will send interested posts copies of the extract from the Governor's speech by bag.
Next Steps
8.
In short, there will be a whirl of activity on 6-8 October, both here and in Hong Kong. It will be important that all concerned keep closely in step. Hong Kong will be producing bull points and detailed Q and A briefs on the speech. Hong Kong Department will draft a Dear Colleague letter from the Secretary of State, and a one page of key points, for use in oral briefing and distribution as indicated above, as well as a guidance telegram. I suggest that we try to keep the number of different pieces of paper to a minimum in the initial phase to avoid confusion. Our presentation will obviously need to be adapted to take account of the initial reactions.
Further Briefing of Chinese
9. In a slightly different category, the Chinese side will be briefed in advance at the Secretary of State's meeting with Qian, and the Governor's message to Lu Ping. I recommend that we also brief Ambassador Ma, who is likely to be helpful in presenting our ideas to Peking. Mr Hum might do this on 29 September. I also recommend that Sir R McLaren should give the Chinese side a full copy of the Governor's speech as courtesy and in strict confidence on 6 October.*
PF Ricketts
gov.speech.gen.bern
CONFIDENTIAL
I see that this wigs envisaged at ODD(K)
yesterday.
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