TNAG-2767-FCO40-3984-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 154

/SARA/313.hkd

CODE 18-77

Hks 301/1

2 1993

Mr Morris, HKD

MS 22/12

MSTRY

SEGISTRY Action Taken

for from file.

مل

Reference.

fredia

49A

From: Sara Everett

News Department

Date: 3 March 1993

REPORTING BY THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CORRESPONDENT IN HONG KONG

1. We spoke about today's article by Hugo Gurdon on Hong Kong. He claimed that UK companies were taking the "lion's share of contracts" linked to the airport. We agreed that I should talk to Chris Osborne in Hong Kong to suggest that he speak to or write to Gurdon to put the record straight. Hong Kong telno 340 mentions that HKG is planning to put out new publicity on the airport within the next fortnight to set the record straight on airport contracts awarded to British companies. I will ask Chris to pursue with HKG the possibility of using this information now with Gurdon.

2. This is not the first time that Hugo Gurdon has misreported the facts. In November last year he claimed that only the Governor's closest advisers still supported his proposals. understand that the Governor questioned him on the source of his comment; he said it was Chris Osborne. This was complete fabrication which distressed Chris a great deal.

I

Sara Everett

News Department