CODE
RESTRICTED
Mr Stuart
that ECGD
MTR
Reference....
HKK 21/2
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ше срока.
I understand
have sent a message to A.
fr
84
Haddon - Cave, claiming that HKLOD asread.
We must flow
You told me that that was not so.
just wait and see
what in
1. Mr Cotterill of ECGD telephoned this morning to say that they had heard from the London representative of the Japanese export credit guarantee organisation that the discussions between the s Japanese consortium and the Government of Hong Kong on the
8/1 specifications for the MTR werenot going very well and that the Japanese now feared that a binding contract hould not be concluded on the terms laid down in the Letter of Intent. The Japanese had apparently sounded out the ECGD regarding the possibility of a British intervention in Hong Kong with the obvious motive of course
Mr Cotterill said that this was of getting the Japanese off the hook. no interest of ours but that if in fact negotiations between Hong Kong and the Japanese broke down irrevocably, it would be only right that Hong Kong should re-open the tender and so give the British consortium and other interested parties another chance to bid for the contract. ECGD propose for this reason that they should now write to Mr Haddon-Cave informing him of what the Japanese had said and asking him whether in fact the negotiations with the Japanese were likely to fail and if so to bear in mind the interest which the British consortium still retained in the MTR project.
2. I told Mr Cotterill that subject to the views of Mr Roberts in DoT I could see no reason why they should not approach Mr Haddon- Cave as suggested in the hope that this would reveal the position which Hong Kong has now reached in their negotiations with the Japanese. Mr Cotterill will keep us informed of what they intend to do after they have conferred with DoT.
15 November 1974
18-77
RESTRICTED
терии
JK Hanna
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept