282
PA
3.xh
in prepared
M. Yough M. Stran
all
morning with
CONFIDENTIAL
пологи
Minister
ni Grierson
ketue
to part the weight of
22/11
We discussed
Thus
This
with a
Mr Youde member
丬
present
bio if that
that
عويا
مسماد
EIDO EEC. commim:
PS to Mr Royle
MATE HANSEN SYSTEM
HONG KONG/MASS
1
•
jglu.
beland
will help.
Discum Iti
I krila
idea.
H.R.
The Anglo/Italian Group have now finalised their bid. This
is improved in detail from the draft which I discussed in my
Flag A submission of 6 November. But it still proposes an escalation
clause based on a price which will not be fixed until the technical
surveys are completed next April. The DTI agree with us that the
Hong Kong Steering Group will not like this.
2.
Nevertheless, since this is the best that the consortium are
at the moment prepared to offer, we have agreed at official level
that the consortium should now put their bid on the table with
such supporting arguments as we can produce.
Subject, therefore,
to final agreement to the bid from the Treasury, it will be
Hong Kons
presented to the Treasury some time this week. I have agreed with
the DTI that the supporting arguments should be split in two.
Mr Aston can make the more technical ones to Mr Haddon-Cave. But
political comment will need to go personally to the Governor from
a Minister. The DTI have agreed that, in this instance, a message
might go from the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
think this is right. In the last resort the Governor will pay more
attention to FCO Ministers. But we are not yet in that situation,
and it is generally more appropriate that commercial projects
I
should be dealt with by the DTI.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.