TNAG-2732-FCO40-3938-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 220

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INDEX

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REGISTRY Action Teku

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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, AUSS

HONG KONG:

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PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION:

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

I think that Mr Goodlad mentioned to you that the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State were planning to take opportunities to make supportive statements to the press in the course of the day.

2.

We supplied a note of the key points to each. But in the event, neither was asked about Hong Kong. As the day wore on, media interest shifted to other stories. We have had News Department looking for a suitable vehicle for a comment by the Secretary of State this evening, but surprisingly, they have found no takers.

3.

You will have seen that the FCO spokesman put out a full and supportive statement at the lunchtime press conference here. But it is unfortunate that there has been no opportunity for a direct comment from Ministers. I suggest that in the circumstances, the best we can do is to use the inevitable blast from the Chinese side (Li Peng at the NPC?) and the revived press interest that this will create, to provide a peg for a comment from the Secretary of State early next week.

HURD

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