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FM BTC HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE DTI
TELNO OTTER 34
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Ry22/2
HKC 182/1 Mise Marsden Mr Holroyd
RECEIVED IN
Y
22 MAR 1990
DESK
INDEX
OF 22045OZ FEBRUARY 90
INFO ROUTINE FCO, ECGD, TOKYO, PEKING
ра
16
170312
MDLIAN 0647
Airport Project
22/2
613
FOR ADAMS, HEAD OF PEP
ECGD FOR SEDMAN
AIRPORT PROJECT
SUMMARY
1. THE TRAFALGAR HOUSE/COSTAIN/MITSUI/JARDINES GROUP, NOW UNDER THE NAME ANGLO-JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION LTD, PAID VARIOUS CALLS ON FRIDAY 16 FEBRUARY AND MADE A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION ON SATURDAY 17 FEBRUARY. THE VISIT SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED THE GROUP'S ABILITY TO TAKE ON LARGE PARTS OF THE POUNDS STR 10 BILLION AIRPORT PROJECT.
DETAIL
SIR NIGEL BROACKES, CHAIRMAN OF TRAFALGAR HOUSE, PETER COSTAIN, GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF COSTAINS, AND MASAO IKEDA, SENIOR EXECUTIVE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF MITSUI, WITH OTHERS FROM EACH COMPANY, CALLED ON 16 FEBRUARY ON MRS ANSON CHAN, SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MICHAEL LEUNG, SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, SIR PIERS JACOBS, FINANCIAL SECRETARY, AND THE GOVERNOR, AND ATTENDED A LUNCH HOSTED BY JARDINES AT WHICH SIR DAVID FORD, CHIEF SECRETARY, AND OTHERS WERE PRESENT. I WAS PRESENT AT ALL OF THESE EXCEPT THE CALL ON THE GOVERNOR WHERE THE GROUP DECIDED THEY WANTED TO KEEP THE NUMBERS SMALL. IN MY VIEW ALL OF THESE MEETINGS WENT WELL. IT WAS APPARENT THAT SIR N BROACKES WAS NOT WELL BRIEFED ON THE PROJECT OR THE GROUP'S APPROACH, BUT HIS PRESENCE SERVED WELL TO INDICATE THE GROUP'S SERIOUSNESS. THEY DID A COMPETENT PRESENTATION ON 17 FEBRUARY TO AN AUDIENCE CHAIRED BY MISS ELAINE CHUNG, DEPUTY SECRETARY, WORKS BRANCH, WHICH INCLUDED MRS ANSON CHAN AND HAMISH MACLEOD, SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY. AT THE MEETINGS AND AT THE PRESENTATION THE GROUP STRESSED THE NEED TO REACH VERY EARLY DECISIONS ON BOTH THE MAIN BRIDGE REQUIREMENT AND THE EARTH WORKS FOR THE AIRPORT PLATFORM, IF THE TIMETABLE TO WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WERE COMMITTED WAS TO BE ACHIEVED, AND THAT A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT WITH THEMSELVES WOULD CUT A LOT OF CORNERS. PREDICTABLY THIS MET WITH A VERY MUTED RESPONSE. NEVERTHELESS THE HONG KONG
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