officers to promote and coordinate British participation in such projects. I said that we would like to follow up this suggestion which raised some interesting possibilities. In principle there is much to be said for extending the client responsible concept to projects overseas. A switch of some of our resources to specific projects might yield useful results. I would be grateful if Mr Ballentyne could pursue this with OFPG on his return.
ANGLO-JAPANESE COOPERATION
6. The Panel agreed to consider with interest all projects put to them (although one got the impression that several of the members did not view joint ventures with the Japanese in third markets with any particular enthusiasm). I tried to draw the Panel on the areas in which they felt British industry was most likely to be interested in joint projects with the Japanese. Mr Hochfelder said that CRE had addressed their enquiries to posts in countries where the Japanese were already in a strong position eg in South East Asia, and where we might have most to gain from cooperating with them. This is why DTI have not so far approached our missions in Africa.
13 November 1973
Copies:
HKLOD FED
IN CONFIDENCE
G F Finlayson
Trade Relations & Exports Dept G 1/1 G 60