OL TC HONG KONG
GR 220
CONFIDENTIAL
173/2
авле
ΖΟ
пи
فقد
Un Mcture
HKK 173/2
Mn willyson
thy Scale.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 10 SEP 1981
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
FM D O T 0417412 SEP 81
PA
REGISTRY
7 ke
No Masoa Mas 0.
TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER CREDA 172 OF 4 SEPTEMBER
METRO-CAMMELL
PA KER
FOR MARCH FROM DURIE
DOT/CRE
129
TRED
HKAG
See
21
1. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT IT WILL STILL TAKE AT LEAST A FORTNIGHT DEFORE WE CAN GET FIRM DECISIONS ON METCAM'S ABILITY TO TAKE FIXED PRICE CONTRACTS AT ACCEPTABLE LEVELS FOR BOTH THE MASS TRANSIT AND THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAYS. MET CAM BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENT SITUATION IN HONG KONG IS BEING HELD ON BOTH AND THAT THERE IS NO NEED AT PRESENT FOR YOU TO ENSURE THAT THE MTR AND THE OTHERS ARE KEPT IN PLAY, BUT, IF NECESSARY, YOU COULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE WOULD EXPECT KETCAM TO KNOW WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO WHETHER THEY ARE IN A POSITION TO CONCLUDE NEGOTIATIONS.
2. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, WE ARE LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE INDUSTRY NCT PACKAGE WHICH WOULD ENABLE METCAM TO MAKE FIXED PRICE BIDS FOR
BOTH WITHOUT ANY COST ESCALATION COVER OR CREDIT FOR THE KCR. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY HOT WANT ANY ACTION BY US TO ENCOURAGE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO TURN TO CREDIT, THOUGH I WOULD WELCOME YOUR LATEST ASSESSMENT OF WHETHER THEY ARE LIKELY TO
TURN TO CREDIT IF THEY DO GO TO INTERNATIONAL TENDER.
3. YOU SHOULD KNOW, TOO, THAT IT WILL NOT BE EASY TO ARRIVE AT A
SOLUTION FAVOURABLE TO METCAM.
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