COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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5. Finally I hope that my telegram Creda 39 may have enabled you to put some pressure on G.L.C. Registration for pre-qualification costs nothing. It leaves all the options open; and it seems to me that this is very necessary until we know exactly what the opposition is going to be and we can be more certain that the project will go ahead. 6. In the notes of the meeting attached to your letter CG300 of 27 February, Royce is quoted as saying that in political terms, HG regarded the winning by British firms of a substantial share of the contracts as a desirable achievement though not an essential one. But if we do not participate in any way on the civil side and lose out on the E & li side because we have not been flexible enough in our approach, can we really say that there would be no undesirable political consequences, quite apart from the highly adverse effect on our commercial image in Hong Kong and the Far East generally? I see that Royce also said that he would be seeking, in consultation with other Departments, to formulate an agreed Government line on the project. I shall be grateful to know whether any progress has been made on this.
Encl:
cc:
Tim K
I A C Kinnear
Senior British Trade Commissioner
Lir.E Panton, ECGD
Lr.P L O'Keefe, HKIOD FCO. Liss C H Welch, CRE4.
Þvery effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions in that information and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms, companies or individuals mentioned.