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PERSONAL FOR SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER FROM PAUL, HKD
PADS: PROPOSED APPOINTMENT OF A DTI CONSULTANT
1.
THANK YOU FOR SENDING ME COPIES OF YOUR RECENT EXCHANGES OF TELEGRAMS WITH THE DTI ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.
2.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT BOTH ROBIN MCLAREN AND ANDREW BURNS HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT THIS IDEA, WHICH I TO SOME EXTENT SHARE. WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW HE WILL FIT IN WITH YOUR OPERATION: HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OFFICIALS IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT: THE EFFECT OF THE APPOINTMENT ON CHINESE PERCEPTIONS OF THE PROJECT: AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED, EVEN IF HE IS A TRIED AND TESTED OPERATOR, COULD PLAY AN EFFECTIVE ROLE IN AN AREA WITH WHICH HE IS NOT FAMILIAR.
3.
THAT SAID, WE RECOGNISE THAT THERE IS A FAR AMOUNT OF MOMENTUM BEHIND THE IDEA, AND WE COULD NOT EASILY OBJECT TO THE INITIATIVE, IF DTI HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR IT. INDEED, THE CONSULTANT COULD WELL SERVE A USEFUL PURPOSE, IF PROPERLY MANAGED AND DIRECTED. I KNOW THAT JAMES SMITH-LAITTEN, WHO HAS DISCUSSED THE IDEA IN SOME DETAIL WITH THE DTI HERE, IS QUITE ENTHUSIASTIC.
3.
I HAVE DISCUSSED ALL THIS WITH CHRISTIAN ADAMS, RICHARD ROGERS AND JIM BROAD (THE PEP OFFICIAL CONCERNED WITH
CONTRACTS ARISING FROM THE CHANNEL TUNNEL PROJECT). IN RESPONSE, THEY HAVE OFFERED THE FOLLOWING ASSURANCES:
A) THE INDIVIDUAL IS A TRIED AND TESTED OPERATOR, WHO CAN BE RELIED UPON TO BE DISCREET AND ALIVE TO THE SENSITIVITIES:
B) HIS ROLE (PRIMARILY TO ACT AS A LINK WITH BRITISH COMPANIES AND SUBCONTRACTORS IN THIS COUNTRY) WOULD BE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE ROLE OF THE BTC, AND NOT IN COMPETITION WITH IT:
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