CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 14
OF 04163OZ JANUARY 91
CONFIDENTIAL
нив 182 13
Q DIS
063333 MDHOAN 4754
PERSONAL FOR
QVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
GOVERNO
YOUR TELNO 14: PADS
1.
WE WERE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN TUR.
2. IT WOULD ALSO BE VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW WHERE MATTERS STAND ON THE SHAPE AND PHASING OF THE OVERALL PROJECT. ON THE FUTURE OF THE RAIL LINK, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WILL RECALL THAT DURING YOUR RECENT VISIT TO LONDON, YOU DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILWAY MIGHT BE POSTPONED, AND THAT IF IT WERE, THIS COULD BE USED TO HELP PERSUADE THE CHINESE THAT THE SCOPE OF THE OVERALL PROJECT HAD BEEN SCALED DOWN TO MORE MANAGEABLE PROPORTIONS. WE HAVE HOWEVER LEARNED FROM COMMERCIAL SOURCES THAT OPTIONS OF A MORE RADICAL KIND, INCLUDING A 15 YEAR POSTPONEMENT OF THE RAIL LINK, OR EVEN ITS ABANDONMENT, MAY BE UNDER CONSIDERATION.
3
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR A SITREP ON YOUR CURRENT THINKING ON THIS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT, SO THAT WE CAN BRIEF LORD CAITHNESS ON HIS RETURN FROM LEAVE ON 7 JANUARY. AS YOU WILL APPRECIATE, THE MINISTER WILL BE KEEN TO HAVE AN UP-TO-DATE ACCOUNT OF YOUR PLANS. GRATEFUL THEREFORE FOR A REPLY, DESKBY 07093OZ.
HURD
YYYY
MAIN
74
.PADS
LIMITED
HKD
DISTRIBUTION
75
PUSD
RAD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PAGE
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CONFIDENTIAL