CONFIDENTIAL
8
171407
MDLOAN 0516
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG
TELNO 117
OF 031710 Z MAY 91
HKB
175/1
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
• SMA: 941
PERSONAL FOR HEAP FROM PAUL, HKD
YOUR TELNO 129: PATROL BOAT ORDER
7915
WE HAVE DISCUSSED YOUR TELEGRAM WITH MINISTERS AND WITH SENIOR DTI OFFICIALS.
1.
2. AS I EXPLAINED TO YOU ON THE TELEPHONE, OUR CONCLUSION IS THAT, WHILST WE CAN SEE THE ARGUMENTS FOR A MINISTERIAL MESSAGE, WE BELIEVE THAT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT WOULD NOT HAVE ANY APPRECIABLE EFFECT, AND THAT SUCH A MESSAGE COULD EVEN BE
COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.
3. AS YOU KNOW, BOTH MR LILLEY AND MR SAINSBURY RAISED THIS PARTICULAR ORDER WITH THE GOVERNOR IN HONG KONG DURING THEIR VISITS. THE GOVERNOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WOULD BE DELIGHTED IF THE BRITISH BID SUCCEEDED BUT THAT THEY HAD TO BE FULLY COMPETITIVE. HE COULD NOT INTERFERE IN THIS TYPE OF TENDER. AM SURE THAT HE WOULD REPLY IN VERY SIMILAR TERMS TO ANY MINISTERIAL MESSAGE.
4.
I
I AM SORRY IF THIS IS A DISAPPOINTING REPLY. REST ASSURED THAT BOTH WE AND THE DTI ARE MOST APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR EFFORTS AND VIGILANCE IN FURTHERANCE OF BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IN
HONG KONG.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
18
LIMITED
HKD
DISTRIBUTION
20
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL