OVERSEAS FINANCE & PLANNING DIVISION BRITISH OVERSEAS TRADE BOARD
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY
1 VICTORIA STREET
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
235
LONDON SW1H 0ET
01 222 7877
Ext 3649
10 October 1973
A C Stuart Esq
Hong Kong and 10 Department
FCO
King Charles Street
LONDON SW1A 2AH
Bear Budven
2 IN
V-51
12 OCT 19/3
HICK
2114
HONG KONG RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT
See sep suboussion P/A
las
At a meeting last night with H W A Francis of Tarmac, Vice-Chairman of the Export Group for the Constructional Industries, Harry Jackson of GEC and Ken Cotterill of ECGD, I told Francis that the Anglo-Italian bid was now in some jeopardy because the British share of the civil contracting had so far not reached the 25% required by the Italians. If a viable Anglo-Italian bid was to be made this gap would have to be closed. Francis undertook to approach the top men in the original group in an attempt to organise the additional support required. He will need a little more than a week to organise all this, and has promised to let us know the result of his efforts by 19 October.
In these circumstances you may think it would be helpful to inform the Hong Kong Government that serious efforts are being made to bring about the Anglo-Italian link-up suggested by the Governor, but that it will be at least another 10 days before a firm proposition will be ready to be put to the Hong Kong Government.
I am sending copies of this letter to Miss Lackey, Ken Cotterill, and Tom Aston in Hong Kong.
ན།ན
FW Glaves-Smith
V1227