CONFIDENTIAL
3. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT IF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT WERE WILLING TO INTERVENE WITH THEIR OWN INDUSTRY, THIS WOULD BECOME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. THE SHAREHOLDERS AND CUSTOMERS OF CLP MIGHT THEN FEEL THAT AS A RESULT OF THE INTERVENTION OF HMG THEY ARE BEING OBLIGED TO ACCEPT A MORE EXPENSIVE POWER STATION. THIS COULD EMBARRASS THE CHAIRMAN OF CLP AND OTHERS IN HONG KONG WHO WANT THIS BUSINESS TO COME TO BRITAIN, AND MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE CHAIRMAN TO PERSUADE HIS BOARD AND SHAREHOLDERS THAT A NEGOTIATED
BRITISH TENDER WAS ACCEPTABLE.
OWEN
COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS
CRE 4 DOT
MR MCGHIE EJU
DOT
MR DEARING
DOI
FILES:
FED
HK & G D
EID
PRES SEC
FRD
PS
FS/MR JUDD FS/1US
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
MR FRETWELL
2.
CONFIDENTIAL