CONFIDENTIAL
ICHIMURA APPARENTLY ASKED SIR LAWRENCE WHETHER HE WAS AWARE OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S RECENT CONVERSATION WITH MR. FUKUDA AND EXPRESSED PUZZLEMENT AT A BRITISH INTERVENTION AT A TIME WHEN
CLP'S PLANS WERE NOT FORMULATED. WHEN WIR LAWRENCE PROFESSED IGNORANCE, ICHIMURA SAID THAT HE SUSPECTED THAT THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT WERE CONCERNED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN UNREALISTIC
JAPANESE BID AND SUGGESTED THAT THE SOLUTION MIGHT LIE IN A JOINT BRITISH/JAPANESE VENTURE. HE CLAIMED THAT HITACHI AND BABCOCK S HAD ALREADY HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SUCH A POSSIBILITY.
6. AS YOU KNOW SIR LAWRENCE LEAVES FOR SWITZERLAND ON THE EVENING
OF FRIDAY JULY 1. HE IS DUE IN LONDON ON 23 JULY AND WILL
STAY AT THE CONNAUGHT HOTEL. HE IS AVAILABLE FOR MEETINGS FROM
JULY 25 ONWARDS AND WOULD LIKE THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE INDICATION
OF A CONVENIENT TIME FOR HIM TO CALL ON THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE
HIS LONDON PROGRAMME BECOMES CROWDED. HE WILL REMAIN IN LONDON UNTIL 7 AUGUST WHEN HE RETURNS TO GENEVA. I RECOMMEND THAT I BE INSTRUCTED TO PASS A SHORT PERSONAL MESSAGE TO HIM FROM LIPPITT BEFORE HE DEPARTS FROM HONG KONG.
7. I DID NOT RETURN TO THE QUESTION OF ECGD ARRANGEMENTS. HOWEVER, AS I THINK DEAN BARRETT'S LETTER OF 22 JUNE, (ALREADY SENT TO YOU BY BAG) WILL MAKE CLEAR, CLP/PEPCO RECOGNISE THAT FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS WILL BE EXPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY EQUITY PARTICIPATION WHICH THEY MAY ACQUIRE IN THE NEW COMPANY: THEIR CONCERN AT THIS STAGE IS NOT TO GIVE UNDERTAKINGS BEFORE THAT
NEW COMPANY IS ESTABLISHED.
FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO TOKYO.
MARCH
FILES
HK&GD (5) FED
TRED
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION:
HONG KONG POWER STATION
PROJECT
MR CORTAZZI
MR BUTLER
MR MURRAY
FRD
PS
PS/MR JUDD
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS PS/PUS
[COPIES SENT TO DOT/CRE]
-3- CONFIDENTIAL