TNAG-2711-FCO40-3917-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 163

sub.PET.JRB

Pr. Relen Paul FILE

FROM: P F Ricketts

Hong Kong Department DATE: 29 September 1993

cc: Sir J Coles

Ms Everett, News Dept Special Advisers

Mr Hum

PS/Mr Goodlad

HONG KONG: MARKETING THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO LEGCO

Problem

What steps should we take to ensure that the Governor's

LegCo address on 6 October gets the right reception here?

1.

Recommendation

2.

That Mr Goodlad should write a short "Dear Colleague" letter

to the 30 or so MPs and Peers who take a particular interest in

the Hong Kong issue highlighting the main points and undertaking

to keep in close contact during the rest of the year. We will also produce the usual one page bullpoints on the speech for News Department and others to use with the press.

Background

3. Last year, we organised a major briefing campaign on the

Governor's LegCo speech including detailed letters to a very

wide range of members of Parliament, the media, academics etc.

This year, there is much less new substance in the speech,

particularly in the passages on relations with China. There

will, however, be a good deal of interest among those who follow

the Hong Kong issue closely in what the Governor has to say

about the talks, and more particularly in how things are likely to develop over the rest of the Autumn.

4. In the circumstances, I think that we should mount a much

lower-profile briefing exercise this time. We have no