PRIORITY CYPHER CAT/A
GI'S 180
FM TOKYO
22CCCCZ
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
V19
HKK21/4
TO PRIORITY DTI TELNO EXCED 28 OF 22 MAY. 1973
PERSONAL FOR FELL, ECGD.
124
OZU CALLED ON ME TODAY TO SAY THAT, IN HIS VIEW, THE BRITISH
AND JAPANESE CONSORTIA LOOKED LIKE BEING THE STRONGEST BIDDERS
FOR THE HONG KONG MASS TRANSIT SCHEME. HE THOUGHT THAT THE
BRITISH TERMS, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO FINANCE, MIGHT
BE BETTER THAN THE JAPANESE BUT THAT THE JAPANESE TECHNOLOGY
WAS THE BEST. BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CONTRACT AND POLITICAL FACTORS (WHICH HE DID NOT SPELL OUT) HE, AND THE VERY FEW OFFICIALS IN MITI WHO WERE IN THE PICTURE, THOUGHT
THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGE IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO
CONSORTIA.
HOWEVER, TIME WAS SHORT.
2. IF WE AGREED TO PURSUE THIS IDEA ANGLO-JAPANESE VIEWS MUST
NOW BE EXCHANGED. OZU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER, IN YOUR VIEW,
APPROACH TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE MADE BEFORE, OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THE SECOND CONSULTATION SEMICOLON AND BY
WHOM? OZU THOUGHT THAT IT SHOULD BE MADE BY GOVERNMENTS
RATHER THAN CONSORTIA SEMICOLON AND HE HOPED THAT HMG WOULD
TAKE THE LEAD.
WARNER
EXCED DISTRIBUTION
FED FRD HKIOD
I thin and crew in this
art/embanged.
RM. han
Mr. Crofiron
224/5
ле
Mr. Seport (o...) to see Mamp
23
I have sent copy to Mr Claves with who had not seen it. He will dismiss with
CONFIDENCIAL
17. fell and let as know
B/U 10/6
A