fil
FILE NOTE
CONFIDENT TAL
Reference.
'B'CHI/LPCL (1.).... P182/1(A)
I took Mr Durie to call on David Jeaffreson, Secretary for Economic Services. We had a general discussion about Hong Kong development plans and picked up the following three new points:-
2.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Economic Services Branch had chosen American consultants to provide technical advice on the monitoring of future power generation development plans because the United States had experience of operating schemes of control similar to those applied to CLP and Hong Kong Electric. Mr Jeaffreson gave a further reassurance that the Hong Kong Government was well aware of the importance of the financial terms of the scheme of control as a base for ECGD's backing of the loans for the Castle Peak A and B Stations.
Economic Services Branch are about to seek formal EXCO endorsement of their findings that proposals for the siting of the new airport at Deep Bay should be abandoned because of civil aviation considerations. Any replacement airport will therefore be at Chek Lap Kok on Lantao Island but no firm decision will be taken either on the airport or the Lantao bridges until the Hong Kong Government has a clearer indication of the likely resolution of the 1997 lease problem.
The Hong Kong Government are on the point of selecting Schroder Chartered to advise them on the likely cost of a new airport should the 1997 lease problem remain unresolved and on financial strategy for the project.
(b) and (c) above should be treated in the strictest confidence until announced.
se
CODE 18 77
DM March
16 February 1982
CC:
DRC Durie Esq, PEP, DOT A J Havelock Esq, MEED, DOI
T Muir Esq, OT4, DOT
With reference to (b) above I should perhaps record that when
CONFIDENTIAL
/...