CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 13120OZ DTI
TELNO OTTER 176
OF 130937Z AUGUST 90
INFO ROUTINE FCO, TOKYO, PEKING
Ра
112
060260
MDHIAN 3010
HKC 182/2
(CORRECTED VERSION)
FOR ADAMS, HEAD OF PEP
?
MY TELNO OTTER 171: HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT
SUMMARY
RECEIVE N RECISTRY
15 AUG 1990
DESK D
IN
X
1. SIR GORDON MANZIE AND OTHERS FROM THE ANGLO JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION CAJC) CONCLUDE A SUCCESSFUL VISIT. REPRESENTATIVES OF BOVIS AND MOWLEM VISIT HONG KONG TO ASSESS THE PROJECT AND APPEAR KEEN TO BE INVOLVED. OTHER GROUPS APPEAR TO BE FORMING, INCLUDING SOME WITH JAPANESE PARTICIPATION.
DETAIL
2. SIR G MANZIE AND CARLILE OF THE AJC AND FRANKLIN OF COSTAINS RETURNED TO THE UK ON 9 AUGUST. I SAW THEM BEFORE THEY LEFT CAND INCLUDED THEM IN A DINNER FOR VISITING BOARD MEMBERS OF CABLE AND WIRELESS). THERE WAS LITTLE TO ADD TO THE DEVELOPMENTS REPORTED IN MY TUR. THEY WERE MUCH BUOYED BY THE BETTER NEWS FROM TOKYO AND WERE FIRM IN THEIR OPINION THAT FURTHER JAPANESE OPPOSITION TO THEIR GROUP IS UNLIKELY. THEY WERE WELL RECEIVED HERE AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REGARD THEM AS A MAJOR CONTENDER, SO LONG AS THEY HAVE THE PROMISE OF JAPANESE SUPPORT.
3. OVERLAPPING WITH THEIR STAY WAS A VISIT BY MEAD, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BOVIS ENGINEERING, WHO CAME IN RESPONSE TO MY CALL ON HIS CHAIRMAN DURING MY DUTY TOUR. HE HAD A GOOD LOOK AT THE WHOLE PADS PROJECT AND ALSO OTHER POSSIBILITIES E.G. THE PDS STG 2 BILLION OR SO THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PLANS TO SPEND ON SEWERAGE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS. I ACCOMPANIED HIM ON SOME OF HIS CALLS. I REPEATED TO HIM THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAD COMMITTED OUR SUPPORT TO AJC FOR THE FIXED LINK, AND PERHAPS THE AIRPORT PLATFORM, THERE WERE IN PADS MANY OTHER AREAS IN WHICH, SO FAR AS WE WERE AWARE, THERE IS AS YET NO BRITISH COMPETITION AND THAT THERE WERE SURELY OPPORTUNITIES HERE ON A SCALE WHICH IS ALMOST UNIQUE. MEAD HIMSELF APPEARED ENTHUSIASTIC AND SAID HE
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CONFIDENTIAL