TNAG-2766-FCO40-3983-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 14

ET

香港經濟日報

HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES

Mr Douglas Hurd,

Secretary of State

for Foreign Affairs,

Whitehall,

Whitehall Road, London,

United Kingdom.

Dear Sir,

22 January 1993.

Received by

News Department on 3/2/93. D=312

Request for a Press Interview

The current row over a transitional electoral system in Hong Kong between Her Majesty's Government and the Chinese Government has become an overwhelming concern for the business community as well as the public at large in Hong Kong. "Conspiracy theories" of various sorts have been suggested and gained reception in some quarters that the British collaborate with the Americans are turning Hong Kong a bridge-head for staging a "peaceful revolution" into China. Even the Senior Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, in an interview with us (see attached paper), holds a somewhat similar view. At this juncture of time, the Hong Kong people are desperate to see some way out of the impasse and they are gravely concerned how Her Majesty's Government handles the whole dispute and the basic policy that dictates.

We would much appreciate if Your Honourable grants us a press interview so that the position of Her Majesty's Government could be better understood and informed judgement ensues. It would be grateful for us to be a messenger for the people of Hong Kong. Equally we are obliged by our duty to forward this request.

We are happy to fly to London to do the interviewing, if granted, at your best earliest time. We learn that you will receive some members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council later this month. It would be much convenient for us if we could be in London around the same period of time as the visiting Legislative

Councillors.

Some basic facts about our newspaper and a curricular vitae of our chief interviewer are enclosed herein.

Regards.

Lawrence Fung,

Editor-in-chief

Business Office:

7/F., Cheung Kong Bldg., 661 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong. Tel: 8802888 Fax: 5650547

Editorial Office:

3/F.. Cheung Kong Bldg., 661 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong. Tel: 5651833 Fax: 8111926