TNAG-2768-FCO40-3985-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 48

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Action Taken

FROM:

PF Ricketts

Masefield

PS/Mr Goodlad

Hong Kong Department

DATE:

23 August 1993

CC:

Ms Everett, News Dept Mr Fry, FED

ра. Меня

HONG KONG: TALKS ON ELECTORAL ISSUES: BRIEFING THE BRITISH

PRESS

A, B

1.

There is now a striking volume of information surfacing

in the Hong Kong press about the substance of the

negotiations. Most of this seems to be coming from Chinese

sources (I attach two telegrams on the briefing which has

been taking place since the Ninth Round of talks last week).

2. I discussed with Sir R McLaren on the flight home

from Peking whether there was more we should be doing to get

our own case across, particularly in the British press. I have noticed a number of articles in recent days picking up material from the Hong Kong press in a rather piecemeal way. At present, we are in the position of scrupulously observing

the confidentiality of the negotiations, while the Chinese

seem to be working hard to feed their version out into the

press.

3. Both Sir R McLaren and I conclude that we should do more

to get our own case across. There would obviously be risks in doing this. But I think they can be minimised by:

briefing here rather than in Hong Kong, since British journalists are more likely to respect the off the record nature of the exercise;

Confining the briefings to trusted contacts (perhaps three or four who follow Hong Kong fairly closely)

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