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MDLIAN 1456
4. I REMINDED UTSUGI OF HMG'S CONCERN THAT THE UK ELEMENTS SHOULD OBTAIN AT LEAST A 50% SHARE OF THE WORK, AND ADDED THAT WE CAND NO DOUBT TH) WOULD BE LOOKING ALSO AT THE QUALITY OF THE WORK OBTAINED. UTSUGI SAID THAT WITH SO MANY KEY JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS INVOLVED CAREFUL ALLOCATION OF WORK WAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE COHESION OF THE BID.
HE CITED AS AN EXAMPLE THAT IF NIPPON STEEL WERE TO SUPPLY ALL CABLING FOR THE BRIDGE THEN THE OTHER JAPANESE ELEMENTS WOULD NEED TO BE ALLOTTED A FAIR SLICE OF THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BRIDGE FOR THEM TO ACHIEVE A MEANINGFUL SHARE.
5.
ON THE QUESTION OF OTHER JAPANESE BIDS EMERGING UTSUGI'S VIEW WAS THAT NOW THE BIG FOUR WERE PREPARED TO JOIN THE AJC THIS LOOKED LESS LIKELY.
6. ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE, UTSUGI SAID THAT THE ASSURED PARTICIPATION OF MITSUBISHI CORPORATION AND MARUBENI WAS IMPORTANT FOR FINANCE PROCUREMENT AND FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE BRIDGE AFTER COMPLETION. HE SAID IF OTHER TRADING COMPANIES (SPECIFICALLY HE MENTION C. ITOH) WISHED TO JOIN THE CONSORTIUM THEY WOULD BE A WELCOME ADDITION. IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR OPERATING THE BRIDGE INSPIRED THE CONFIDENCE OF THE SUPPORTING BANKS.
7. UTSUGI SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNEMENT ATTITUDE WAS STILL A CONCERN, LI PENG'S WORDS TO MR MAUDE NOTWITHSTANDING. CHINESE GOVERNMENT APPROVAL FOR AN EQUITY INVESTMENT (FROM, SAY, CITIC) IN THE PROJECT WOULD BE A GREAT CONFIDENCE BOOSTER, AS WELL AS LIGHTENING THE FINANCING BURDEN FOR THE UK AND JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS.
COMMENT
8.
ALTHOUGH UTSUGI APPEARED CONFIDENT OF HAVING ALL THE KEY ELEMENTS IN PLACE FOR A PRE-EMPTIVE BID TO BE MADE AT END AUGUST TO EARLY SEPTEMBER WHAT HE SAID ABOUT WORKSHARE APPEARED TO IMPLY THAT, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS, THIS WOULD REQUIRE THE ALLOCATION OF THE ENTIRE UPPER PORTION OF THE BRIDGE TO JAPANESE COMPANIES. WE SHALL DISCUSS WITH THE TH REPRESENTATIVE HERE THE EXTENT TO WHICH TH WOULD GO ALONG WITH THIS, BUT GRATEFUL FOR GUIDANCE ON WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE SHOULD BE SAYING TO THE JAPANESE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF WORK TO BE ALLOCATED. UTSUGI SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM ON WORKSHARING FOR THE PLATFORM. THIS COULD BE
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