CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 980
OF 19175OZ JUNE 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 1652: APPOINTMENTS TO EXCO: STATEMENT FROM LONDON
NEWS DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS FROM THE PRESS ABOUT APPOINTMENTS TO EXCO BY QUOTING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S COMMENTS IN THE HOUSE ON 3 JUNE.
1.
2. THEY SPOKE ACCORDINGLY TO DAVID WALLEN OF THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ON 18 JUNE. THEY ADDED (MAKING CLEAR SPECIFICALLY THAT THIS WAS UNATTRIBUTABLE BACKGROUND) THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT CHINA HAD RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE COMPOSITION OF EXCO.
3=
HAVING SEEN THE WAY THIS WAS REPORTED IN THE SCMP ON
19 JUNE, NEWS DEPARTMENT REMONSTRATED WITH WALLEN. HE ASSURED THEM THAT HE HAD FILED HIS STORY ATTRIBUTING THE COMMENT TO LONDON SOURCES. HE BELIEVES THAT THIS WAS ALTERED IN HONG KONG AND APOLOGISED. HE HAS APPARENTLY TAKEN THE MATTER UP WITH HIS EDITOR.
HURD
YYYY
MAIN
55
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.
(RESTRICTED)
HKD
PUSD
FED//HD
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
.AND MS BROOKS
DISTRIBUTION
56
NEWS D PLANNERS
RAD
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/MR PATTEN
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
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