TNAG-2766-FCO40-3983-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 5

A

B

PS/Mr Goodlad

RECE

IN

MAR 300 За

TRY

17 FEB 1933From: Sara Everett

12/2

M. Maris

STRY News Department

*** Teken

Date: 1 February 1993

cc: Private Secretary

Sir John Coles

Mr Hum

Mr Ricketts, HKD

HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES: REQUEST FOR INTERVIEW

Problem

1. Should the Secretary of State agree to do an interview for the Hong Kong Economic Times?

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that the Secretary of State decline but that

Mr Goodlad agree to give the interview. HKD concur.

Background

3.

The Editor-in-Chief of the Hong Kong Economic Times has written to the Secretary of State requesting an interview on the Government's policy on Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Economic Times, along with the Hong Kong Economic Journal, is the main Chinese language business daily paper in Hong Kong. Its readership is drawn mainly from the business and political communities.

4. The Hong Kong Economic Times has been fairly critical of the Governor's constitutional proposals while the Hong Kong Economic Journal is much more supportive. Mike Hanson, the Information