HCFO 009/03
CO DO T DESKEY 031000Z
GR 240
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 031000Z
0727/3
29
HR&ED
TREDE
Hkk 173/25 25
No
Jo12.
FM BTC HONG KONG #33503Z FEB 79
Taka
ar
TO IMMEDIATE D.O. T
TELNO.CREDA 48 OF 3 FEBRUARY.
YOUR TELNO.CREDA 25: MTRC PUBLICITY.
1. THE CORPORATION PLAN TO FOLLOW THEIR NORMAL PRACTICE WHICH
MEANS THAT IF MONDAY'S BOARD MEETING APPROVES CONTRACT AWARDS, ALL BIDDERS WILL BE INFORMED WITHOUT DELAY AND A PRESS RELEASE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER. THE NEWS SHOULD THEREFORE
BREAK ON MONDAY AFTERNOON AND THERRE ARE NO GROUNDS ON WHICH METCAM COULD ASK FOR A DELAY. INDEED IT WOULD BE HIGHLY DANGEROUS
TO DO SO AS IT WOULD LEAD TO LOCAL SPECULATION THAT THE AWARD
HAD BEEN FIXED.
2. THERE IS IN FACT ALREADY A RISK OF THIS HAPPENING IN RESPECT
OF THE KCR BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE TO ANNOUNCE THE DECISION. THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER HAS COMPLAINED TO ME OF BEHIND THE SCENES WE MANOEUVRES OF WHICH I HAVE OF COURSE DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE. SHOULD AIM TO KEEP THE TWO CONTRACTS AS SEPARATE AS POSSIBLE IN THE EYES OF THE LOCAL PUBLIC BUT IN VIEW OF MR VARLEY'S VISIT I SHALL DISCUSS PUBLICITY FOR THE KCR CONTRACT WITH SANSOME AND THE
H.K AUTHORITIES AND REPORT FURTHER NEXT WEEK.
3. YOU MAY BE ASSURED THAT IF ALL GOES WELL, WE SHALL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO ASSOCIATE MR VARLEY WITH THE CONTRACTS BUT
INCONSIDER THAT WE SHOULD NOT SEEK TO INTERFERE WITH THE MTRC'S WELL TRIED AND WELL KNOWN PROCEDURES FOR THE PUBLICATION
OF CONTRACT AWARDS, SANSOME CONCURS IN THIS STRONGLY HELD VIEW.
MARCH