TNAG-2622-FCO40-3813-Visits-by-Alastair-Goodlad--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-an-1992 — Page 34

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OUR TELNO 1245: MR GOODLAD'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT

1.

WE GENERALLY MAKE THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN OVERSEAS VISIT BY A MINISTER A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE VISIT TAKES PLACE. THIS IS FOR BOTH SECURITY AND PROGRAMME CONFIRMATION REASONS.

2. WE PROPOSE THEREFORE THEREFORE TO ANNOUNCE MR GOODLAD'S VISIT ON TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER. IF WE WERE TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ANY EARLIER THE PRESS COULD PICK UP THE FACT THAT WE HAD NOT FOLLOWED THE NORMAL PROCEDURE AND INVEST THE VISIT WITH A PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE (EG CRISIS TALKS) WHICH WE WOULD WISH TO AVOID.

3.

IF

MEANWHILE IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS WE AND YOU COULD CONFIRM THAT MR GOODLAD PLANS TO VISIT HONG KONG IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. PRESSED WE COULD SAY 'END OF THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER.' IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT WE COULD SAY

THAT IT IS ONE OF THE MINISTER OF STATE'S REGULAR CONTACTS WITH THE GOVERNOR, SENIOR OFFICIALS AND OTHER PROMINENT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. WE COULD ADD THAT WE WILL BE MAKING A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT NEARER THE TIME.

4. MEANWHILE IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT WE COULD SAY:-

MR GOODLAD'S VISIT IS PART OF REGULAR CONTACTS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND PROMINENT POLITICAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS IN HONG KONG,

5.

WE COULD ADD THAT WE WILL BE MAKING A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT NEARER THE TIME.

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