17.
JAPANESE GAVE STRONG IMPRESSION IN RECENT TALKS THAT THEY
ARE DETERMINED TO GO IT ON A JAPANESE ALONE BASIS. A F G
ARE REGARDED AS BEING ALREADY IN EFFECT A MERGER, THIS WOULD SEEM
TO LEAVE ONLY OTHER POSSIBLE MERGER AS BETWEEN BRITISH GROUP AND
ITALIANS.
COMMENT
18.
19.
FOLLOWING ARE THE AGREED VIEWS OF SIR D CLAGUE, CODD AND MYSELF.
IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT UNLESS BRITISH GROUP MODIFY THEIR APPROACH
ON CEILING PRICE THEY WILL BE THE ODD MAN OUT AND POSSIBQY BE
RULED OUT. OTHER GROUPS MAY HAVE NO REAL INTENTION OF GIVING A
SERIOUS CEILING PRICE AT THE END OF THE DAY BUT THEY ARE GIVING
AN IMPRESSION OF CO-OPERATION AT THIS STAGE AND TO THIS
EXTENT OUT MANOEUVERING THE BRITISH GROUP.
20.
CODD HAS ALREADY TRIED, D CLAGUE WILL BE TRYING, AND I WILL ALSO TRY AS OPPORTUNITY PERMITS, TO MAKE POINTS IN PARA 4 OF YOUR CREDA 132 ABOUT DANGERS OF CEILING PRICE BUT CHANGES
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OF KNOCKING THEM OFF IT SEEM VERY SLIGHT AS LONG AS ANYONE PAYS
EVEN LIP SERVICE TO IT THEY ACCEPT THAT CHANGES IN SPECIFICATION MAY AFFECT PRICE BUT STILL BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE
FOR CIVILS TO COVER UNFORESEEN - E.G. RISKS OF DIFFICULT TERRAIN
ON BASIS OF BOREHOLE RESULTS BY FEBRUARY. OTHER GROUPS APPEAR TO HAVE ACCEPTED THIS FOR STARTING PURPOSES.
21.
FOR BRITISH GROUP TO REMAIN CERTAIN OF A PLACE THEREFORE IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT A LETTER SHOULD BE SENT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS STATING INTENTION AT LEAST TO TRY TO WORK TOWARDS CEILING
PRICE IF THAT IS WHAT HONG KONG GOVERNMENT STILL REQUIRE. LETTER
COULD SAY THAT IT REMAINS THE BRITISH GROUP'S VIEW THAT
TARGET PRICE WOULD PRODUCE A BETTER AND FAIRER RESULT AND BE MORE
PRACTICAL PROPOSITION AND REITERATE READINESS TO RETURN TO THAT
CONCEPT IF CEILING PRICE IN THE EVENT PRICE TO BE UNSATISFACTORY
APPROACH.
NOT RULE
ROVE OUT THE POSSIBHITY OF OTHERS REQBESTING IN DUE COURSE. THEY WOULD LIKE IO HAVE THE REQUEST CONFIRMED BY WATRING.
LTKR IOK
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