UNCLASSIFIED
IN CONFIDENCE
DESKBY 1403OOZ
FMD TI
13200OZ DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
1 DEC 1978/
D
IND
TELEGRAM NUMBER INDUS 327 CF
FOR MARCH FROM THORNTON
Coule
M.I.P.T.
OFFICER
165
15 DEC,1978
REGISTRY Action Taken
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF JOHN LIPPITE'S LETTER OF 13TH
DECEMBER.
INDEX
ORIGINAL FOLLOWS BY BAG:
N
Wgiel &
PUSD
TRED
356
@
K दि
180
Copy L Hagp вери
the Turgeon cry/per
QUOTE
DEAR LAWRENCE
DEREK MARCH HAS SENT ME IN ADVANCE THE TEXT OF
YOUR LETTER OF 12 DECEMBER, RECORDING THAT YOU HAVE NOW SIGNED A LETTER OF INTENT TO BALFOUR DEATTY FOR YOUR 400 KV TRANSMISSION PROJECT. IT IS WITH EQUAL PLEASURE THAT I WRITE IN APPRECIATION OF ALL THAT YOU AND BILL STONES HAVE DONE TO BRING THIS BUSINESS TO THE UK. AS YOU SAY, THE BUSINESS COULD WELL HAVE IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR CHINA, AS WELL AS ITS UNDOUBTED VALUE IN ITSELF.
I HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO HEAR OF THE GROWTH OF INTEREST IN YOUR PROPOSALS RELATING TO COAL AND ELECTRICITY.
I SHOULD LIKE TO BE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH HOW THESE DISCUSSIONS
GO. I HOPE THAT WE WERE AND CAN BE HELPFUL TO YOU IN PROMOTING THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AS YOU HAVE BEEN TO US IN SHOWING THE WAY INTO CHINA MORE GENERALLY.
YOU WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY, THAT FOLLOWING
SIR FRANCIS TOMBS' VISIT A POWER GENERATION
MISSION IS NOW LIKELY TO GO TO CHINA LATE IN JANUARY.
WE COULD NOT HAVE A BETTER SPRINGBOARD THAN THE
BUSINESS WE HAVE TOGETHER CREATED IN HONG KONG.
ONCE MORE WITH BEST WISHES AND SEASON'S GREETINGS.
YOURS SINCERELY
UNQUOTE
JOHN