CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 04083OZ FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
TELNO 608
OF 040805Z MAY 93
INFO DESKBY 04083OZ HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
HKB 301/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
05 MAY 1993
REGISTRY
PA
Action Take.
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, WASHINGTON
pa Media
025405
MDHIAN 9494
93
WASHINGTON FOR GOVERNOR'S PARTY (VISITING)
HONG KONG TELNO 676: TALKS ON 1994/95 ELECTIONS: PRESS REPORTS AND
COMMENTS
WE HAVE GIVEN NO/NO BRIEFING TO THE PRESS ON THE LINES REPORTED IN TUR.
1.
THE EMBASSY PRESS OFFICER SAW MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG PRESS SOCIALLY ON 30 APRIL BUT IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS SIMPLY REPEATED AS APPROPRIATE THE COMMENTS I HAD MADE PUBLICLY THROUGHOUT THE TWO ROUNDS OF TALKS. SHE SAID NOTHING NEW.
3. AS AGREED WITH MEMBERS OF THE TEAM BEFORE THEIR DEPARTURE I GAVE A STRICTLY BACKGROUND BRIEFING ON 30 APRIL TO RESIDENT BRITISH JOURNALISTS HERE (JAMES MILES (BBC), GRAHAM HUTCHINGS (DAILY TELEGRAPH), TONY WALKER (FT), DAVE SCHLESINGER (REUTERS), CATHY SAMPSON (TIMES), BOB CHISHOLM (DAILY MAIL)). I DID NOT GO INTO THE CONTENTS OF THE TALKS AND DECLINED TO ANSWER PROBING QUESTIONS. I NONETHELESS STRESSED THAT NOTHING I SAID SHOULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO BRITISH SOURCES OF. ANY KIND.
4.
WHILE WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE BRITISH CORRESPONDENTS DELIBERATELY BROKE CONFIDENCE THE SCMP AND OTHER HONG KONG JOURNALISTS GOT WIND OF THE BRIEFING. THE SCMP COMPLAINED ABOUT THEIR EXCLUSION FROM IT.
5.
WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE SCMP CORRESPONDENT THAT HONG KONG JOURNALISTS HERE SUBSEQUENTLY PUMPED THE BRITISH JOURNALISTS FOR INFORMATION. WHENEVER ONE OF THEM PUT FORWARD A VIEW WHICH DIFFERED FROM WHAT I HAD SAID ON THE RECORD DURING THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS THE HONG KONG PRESS TOOK THIS TO REFLECT WHAT I HAD TOLD THE BRITISH JOURNALISTS AND ATTRIBUTED THEIR STORIES TO BRITISH SOURCES. THOSE PARTS OF PARA 1 OF TUR WHICH ARE NOT DIRECTLY DERIVED FROM MY PUBLIC COMMENTS MAY HAVE BEEN PARTLY BASED ON THE
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