SECRET
032156
MDHOAN156
AND LEGCO EVENTS. BUT EVEN IF YOU SPOKE TO THE PRESS AT GH IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LEGCO RECEPTION, YOU WOULD MISS THE MAIN EVENING NEWS BULLETINS. THIS WOULD ALSO BE LOGISTICALLY DIFFICULT, WITH GUESTS COMING AND GOING THROUGH THE ONLY PARTS OF GH SUITABLE FOR A BRIEFING. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AN AIRPORT BRIEFING ON ARRIVAL SEEMS THE BEST OPTION.
3. THE PURPOSE OF THE LEGCO RECEPTION WOULD SIMPLY BE TO GIVE LEGCO MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU AND ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING. BUT THEY WOULD PROBABLY LIKE YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS AT THE START ABOUT THESE. IT WOULD GO DOWN WELL IF YOU WERE READY TO DO SO. SOME LEGCO MEMBERS WILL DOUBTLESS CRITICISE THE LACK OF A FORMAL QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH YOU, BUT THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE DISSATISFIED WITH WHATEVER WE PROPOSED AND THIS ARRANGEMENTS SEEMS THE BEST IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I AM IN ANY EVENT ANSWERING QUESTIONS IN LEGCO THE FOLLOWING WEEK SO WILL BE ABLE TO MOP UP THE POLITICAL QUESTIONS OF MEMBERS.
4.
5.
WE WILL BE IN TOUCH SEPARATELY WITH YOUR PRIVATE OFFICE ABOUT
ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR PRIVATE SUPPER.
IN VIEW OF INTENSE PRESS INTEREST HERE, GRATEFUL FOR EARLY VIEWS INCLUDING FROM PEKING IF SIR R.MCLAREN OR HONG KONG
NEGOTIATORS HAVE ANY COMMENTS.
PATTEN
ENDS
HURD
YYYY
MAIN
SINGLE COPIES
NNNN
1
DISTRIBUTION
1
HKD
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.