HOFO 002/26
PMDOT
GR 350
CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG 26035OZ AUG 82
TO PRIORITY DOT
TELEGRAM NUMBER OTTER 7 OF 26 AUGUST
FOR HUTTON, PEP
YOUR OTTER 4
Тре
are
Muuttor
m.ff.
Tpt IOT Div/DOT
OTDIV/DOM
CGE
NO DISTRIBUTION
н
HITK 182| |
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT
› ADVANCED
26/8
HRGD.
(36)
IN
146
HONG KONG NEW AIRPORT
NO!
12/8.....
FZ TRED.
I HAVE NOW DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE FINANCIAL
SECRETARY.
2. THEIR VIEW REMAINS THAT THE NEW AIRPORT HAS A STRONG QUESTION MARK OVER IT. IT WILL BE COSTLY TO GOVERNMENT AND COMPANIES AND HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE. BOTH ACCEPT HOWEVER THAT ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRAFFIC VOLUME ARGUMENTS COULD PREVAIL. BREMRIDGE AGAIN EMPHASISED THAT THE HONG KONG LEASE QUESTION MUST BE RESOLVED IN PRINCIPLE
BEFORE ANY DICISION CAN BE TAKEN.
3. BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY RETAIN AN OPEN MIND ON A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT AND BREMRIDGE EMPHASISED THAT, IF THE AIRPORT WENT AHEAD, IT WOULD BE POLITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG THAT BRITAIN SHOULD CAPTURE A GOOD SHARE OF THE CONTRACTS
IN SUCH A MAJOR PROJECT. HE NOTED HOWEVER THAT POLITICS ALSO DICTATED THAT SEVERAL CONTRACTS, PARTICULARLY ON THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SIDE, SHOULD GO TO CHINA.