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Sir Suncan Nation
Mr Wilford
Sir D Watson
PS Mr Hoyle
仙
16
CONFIDENTIAL
The Wilf
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yet aprind BU19/2/73
enfare it at the
* Exco peper is submitted
سكلا
fis D. watin's
it writed
Muity.
A.R.
HONG KONG MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM
Па
Mr Goodfella P'ze noti
1. In his letter of 28 December, Sir Murray MacLehose
confirms that the position on the UK consortium's bid is
as we believed it to be.
especially
Presumably this
2. He has, however, somewhat misinterpreted the purpose
of Sir D Watson's letter of 14 December.
*/
вед
esibli
was because, bearing in mind his other responsibilities,
we could not be too explicit about our possible political
interest in co-operation with the Japanese or the Europeans
if our exclusive bid fails. It remains true that we know
very little about the political thinking behind the other
bids.
3. I think it is still worth trying to get this point
clear. I submit a draft letter from Sir D Watson accordingly.
4. In his minute on the Governor's letter Mr Royle asked
whether we should set up a meeting with Mr Kindersley of
Lazards. I am inclined to doubt whether this would help
very much at this stage. Lazards are wholly concerned with
the UK bid, which the Governor has assured us is very much
alive. They would be unlikely to be able to help us to
assess the underlying position of the Hong Kong Government
or of the other bidders.
/5.
CONFIDENTIAL