CONFIDENTIAL
DRAFT MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY
TO THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG
w/ 362
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 1435: MASS TRANSIT
PERSONAL FROM SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY FOR GOVERNOR
I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU COULD NOT KEEP US IN THE RUNNING;
I ONLY HOPE FOR YOUR SAKE THAT THE REPORT IN THE HONG KONG
STANDARD OF THE 13TH THAT THERE WERE ALREADY SOME COLD FEET IN
JAPAN DOES NOT PRESAGE TROUBLE FOR YOU. WHEN YOU FIND THAT THE
JAPANESE HAVE BITTEN OFF MORE THAN THEY CAN CHEW AND THAT THE DREAM
OF A FIXED PRICE AT YOUR LEVEL IS NOT GOING TO COME TRUE, I WILL DO
WHAT I CAN TO HELP BUT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY'S
ENTHUSIASM HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLY BLUNTED BY THE WAY THIS LAST
ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS HAS GONE.