PRICRITY
CYPHER/CAT A
GPS 300
FM HONG KONG 061020Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
92
||+KK 21/4
TO PRIORITY ECGD TELNO EXCED 23 OF 6 APRIL, 1973..
FOR COGGINS FROM ASTON.
YOUR EXCED 23.
88
PA
12:10
I DO NOT THINK WE CAN SAFELY ASSUME A FOREGONE CONCLUSION EITHER
FOR OR AGAINST CONSORTIUM APPROACH. ONLY ASSUMPTION WE CAN MAKE IS
THAT IF NONE OF CONSORTIA PRODUCE A PRICE THE CONSORTIUM APPROACH
WILL BE CONDEMNED, THE MORE ESPECIALLY IF HADDON-CAVE IS NOT THERE.
IF HE GOES ON LEAVE AS PLANNED IT WILL BE BECAUSE HE CANNOT
POSTPONE JOINING A CRUISE DUE TO START ON 1 MAY, AND NO MORE SHOULD
BE READ INTO IT THAN THAT.
PRESENT GUESS WITH SOME SUPPORTING POINTERS (SEE MY MINUTE, COPY TO FELL, OF TALK WITH JONES ON 1 APRIL) IS THAT NO SUBSTANTIVE DECISION WILL BE TAKEN UNTIL HIS RETURN MID-JUNE BUT THIS DOES NOT, REPEAT NOT, MEAN THAT SUBMISSION OF PRICE INDICATION CAN BE DEFERRED. ALL THE HOME WORK, AT LEAST, WILL HAVE TO BE DONE IN
HIS ABSENCE READY FOR A QUICK SUBMISSION.
IT COULD YET BE THAT HE WILL POSTPONE HIS LEAVE. FELL MAY HAVE
SOME INDICATION ON THIS FROM CAINES.
WE CONTINUE TO GET WHIFFS OF PREVARICATION OVER PRICE EXERCISE
ON PART OF THE TECHNICIANS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THEY PRODUCE A FIGURE AND NOT JUST A VIEW ON CONSULTANTS REPORT. WEEDON IS SENDING
A FURTHER MESSAGE TO HIS PEOPLE ON THIS. I HOPE YOU ALL WILL
CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM UP TO WHAT WE ALL - KINDERSLEY HAVE
UNDERSTOOD IS REQUIRED. AND IT SHOULD BE AIMED AT 39 APRIL
NOT REPEAT NOT 7 MAY DESPITE PROSPECTS OF POSTPONEMENT. THE
POSSIBILITY OF POSTPONEMENT SHOULD NOT REPEAT NOT BE MENTIONED TO
THE BRITISH GROUP.
AS TO N
EXCED DISTRIBUTION HKIOD
CONFIDENTIAL