TNAG-2768-FCO40-3985-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 69

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pa Media 125,

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Risqanuni 4/8

4/8

DATE CC

Mofris,

Mr Morris, HKD

JOHN ELLISON (ORIENTAL DAILY)

News Dept

HKB

CO HUM, AUSS 4 August 1993 Sir J Coles Ms Evere

301/1

RECEIVED IN DIGISTRY

06 A 1993

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

1. As you know, John Ellison of the oriental Daily gave me lunch today. We talked about a range of Hong Kong issues, mainly in pretty general terms. I was guarded in what I said.

2. At one point in our conversation Mr Ellison produced some ideas on the existence or otherwise of a deadline for a conclusion of the constitutional talks which were similar to those attributed to Charles Locke in the Sunday Morning Post on 1 August. I asked him if he had discussed these with his colleague Charles Locke. He said no: he barely knew Mr Locke, but believed that he had at one time written for the Evening Standard. Mr Ellison claimed to be unaware of the article to which I had referred, saying that he did not generally have access to the South China Morning Post or its Sunday edition.

I

3. Mr Ellison asked for my own views on the deadline. said I thought the Governor had summed up the position very fully when he spoke to the press after his calls at the FCO last week.

4. I deduce from this that Mr Ellison either is not Charles Locke or is prepared to go into some detail in order to obfuscate the fact that he is. I am afraid that this does not give us any new insight into the sources of the article which appeared on 1 August.

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CO Hum