GPS 390
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
LART
CONFIDENTIAL
COPY
NEX. RE
FM FCO 1717352
CONFIDENTIAL
(64)
ماشا
TO IMMEDIATE TOKYO TELNO 269 OF 17 MAY
23 MAY DIÏ
thak 16+
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR) AND BTC HONG KONG.
MY TELNO 254, PARA 4: HONG KONG POWER STATION PROJECT
IN VIEW OF THE SERIOUS LACK OF ORDERS IN THE BRITISH POWER GENERATING PLANT INDUSTRY WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, WITH THE FULL COOPERATION OF THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, TO ENSURE THAT BRITISH EQUIPMENT (PRIMARILY BOILERS AND GENERATORS) IS SUPPLIED TO THE NEW POWER STATION TO BE BUILT IN HONG KONG BY THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY (CLP), OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE IS THAT BRITISH COMPANIES SHOULD PRESENT CLP WITH A PACKAGE SUFFICIENTLY FAVOURABLE FOR THEM TO ACCEPT A NEGOTIATED TENDER AND NOT INVITE INTERNATIONAL BIDS. IF INTERNATION -AL TENDERS WERE INVITED ON AN ORDINARY BASIS WE THINK IT HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE JAPANESE WOULD BE MORE COMPETITIVE THAN OUR OWN FIRMS. NO BIDS OF ANY KIND HAVE YET BEEN INVITED OR SUBMITTED.
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2. YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE ANY INITIATIVE ON THIS CASE, BUT IF THE JAPANESE RAISE IT WITH YOU, YOU SHOULD SAY, AS CORTAZZI DID TO KATO, THAT HMG ATTACHES THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO BRITISH FIRMS WINNING ORDERS FOR NEW EQUIPMENT, PARTICULARLY POWER GENERATING EQUIPMENT, IN HONG KONG, AND EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE QUOTE BRITISH DIMENSION UNQUOTE IN HONG KONG. YOU SHOULD NOT, HOWEVER, ASK IN TERMS THAT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTERVENE WITH THEIR OWN INDUSTRY. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD REPORT ANY APPROACH THE JAPANESE
MAY MAKE TO YOU.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 3. FOR