OF0823/11
PP F C O
PP TI
GPS 399
ADVANCE COPY
1D DISTRIBUTION
HU HKIOD
(32)
CYPHER/CAT A
FM BTC HONG KONG 110838Z
REO
IN
REGISTRY 6.51
12 MAR 1974
HKK.21/12
Spoken to the Coppie / Thauss
ile surfan for Wephenson Dr.
TO PRIORITY D T I TELNO CREDA 20 OF 11 MARCH, 1974. INFO PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
FCO (FOR STUART, HKIOD).
FOR WARRINGTON (AIR DIVISION) FROM ASTON.
LAST
YOUR TELNO 21, REF.
C.P.A.
30
NEXT
RFF
1/33
we ought to be com
RiGoodfellow
д
the content of any written exposition
مي
THIS CROSSED MY CREDA 19 WHICH ANSWERS SEVERAL OF
FAR AS THEY CAN BE ANSWERED). BY NOW SWIRE ETC SHOULD ALSO HAV HEARD FROM BLUCK ABOUT HIS TALKS WITH LOCKHEED AND ROLLS ROYCE,
2. BOTH FEEL THEY HAVE NOW GONE AS FAR AS THEY CAN AND NEITHER WOULD WELCOME FURTHER DELAY BECAUSE IT COULD ONLY GIVE DOUGLAS ADVANTAGE OF TIME TO MATCH THE ''FINAL" TRISTAR OFFER.
3. KOCHIAN HAS LEFT, SINCE HE CAN OFFER NO MORE. UP TO SATURDAY MORNING HE HAD NOT PUT THE VIABILITY GUARANTEE'' IN WRITING TO BLUCK BUT MAY NOW HAVE DONE SO. ROLLS ROYCE HAVE ONLY HAD ORAL EXPOSITION OF IT (ON LINES OF PARA. 3 OF MY CREAD 19). THEY HAVE, HOWEVER, SEEN ALL THE OTHER ''GUARANTEES'' ETC (INCLUDING FUEL CONSUMPTION) IN WRITING. IN THEIR VIEW EVERY ONE OF BLUCK 'S ORIGINAL QUERIES HAS NOW BEEN MET AND COMMITTED TO PAPER.
ARMSTRONG SUSPECTS SWIRES MAY HAVE BEN SLIGHTLY ASTERN OF DEVELOPMENTS BECAUSE BLUCK HAS INSISTED THAT NEGOTIATIONS BE WITH HIM AND ONLY HIM. KOCHIAN HAS THEREFORE LEFT IT TO BLUCK TO INFORM LONDON SO HAVE ROLLS ROYCE (ALTHOUGH THEIR HEAD OFFICE IS FULLY INFORMED) THIS, AND NOT ILLNESS, ACCOUNTS FOR HIS SILENCE TO SWIRES. HE HAS NOT BEEN ILL (SINCE HIS BRIEF INDISPOS- ITION SOME TED WEEKS AGO) AND HAS BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH BLUCK. THERE IS, AND HAS BEEN, NO MISAPPREHENSION ON HIS PART OR ROLLS OF WHAT IS REQUIRED OF THEM BEFORE DECISION CAN BE RECONSIDERED.
5.
REF. YOUR PARA. 5. 1 ASSUME (AND JONES WHO IS HANDLING THIS IN COLONIAL SECRETARIAT AGREES) THAT SWIRE WANTS RECORD
OF OUR VIEWS ON IMPORTANCE OF CONTRACT SO THAT HE CAN ADD IT TO THE SCALES IN WEIGHING TRISTAR VERSUS DOUGLAS. SINCE (SEE ABOVE) VIRTUALLY ALL THE ARGUMENTS ARE IN WRITING THEY PRESUMABLY FEEL
IT NECESSARY TO HAVE THIS ONE ALSO, RATHER THAN **SAY SO'' IF
THEY ARE TO USE IT WITH THE BOARD. MY OWN VIEW IS THAT WE SHOULD GIVE THEM THIS 'AMMUNITITION'' IF WE CAN RISK OF IT BEING
MISCONSCRUED (AND RESENTED) BY LOCAL BOARD MEMBERS AS ''BIG STICK' OR LATER MIS-USED WILL DEPEND MORE ON HOW IT IS SAID THAN ON WHAT
IS SAID.
DTI PASS COPY TO ROGERS (US/CA2), MISS LACKEY (CRE2)
ASTON
NNNN
SENT AT 09192/11 EJJ
[Langet fra.] [Sumed fo