CONFIDENTIAL
FM DTI
TO IMMEDIATE TOKYO
TELNO 258
OF 21170OZ NOVEMBER 91
CONFIDENTIAL
AND TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
151
013524
MOHIAN 3041
Angles
HKB 182/3 Please ask
a
NOT
AGILICABLE
ásk for
22/01
Ampit Generd"
Edinbuten.
(128
TOKYO FOR DIMOND
BTC HONG KONG FOR HEAP, FROM ROGERS, PEP
HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR RESPECTIVE RESPONSES TO MY OTTER 253.
2.
THE POSITION ON ECGD EXPORT IS NOT YET CLEAR, AND
A DECISION LOOKS UNLIKELY UNTIL AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. UNTIL THE POSITION IS CERTAIN, WE ARE CLEAR THAT IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE TO APPROACH THE JAPANESE IN TOKYO ABOUT EXPORT CREDIT, BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR TOKYO'S WILLINGNESS TO ACT IN DUE COURSE SHOULD THIS SEEM APPROPRIATE. MEANWHILE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS HAVE TENDED TO UNDERLINE THAT THE UK'S DECISION ON EXPORT CREDIT IS LIKELY TO BE OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE, AND WE ARE GIVING FURTHER THOUGHT TO HOW WE MIGHT BEST HANDLE A POSITIVE DECISION IF AND WHEN ONE IS MADE.
3.
WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE CONSORTIUM'S INTENTION REMAINS THAT THEY WILL BID FOR THE SECOND SMALLER BRIDGE AS WELL AS THE LARGE BRIDGE (PARA 6 OF TOKYO'S OTTER 356 AND BTC'S OTTER 215). MITSUI WILL PROBABLY BE SOMETHING OF A SLEEPING PARTNER, AND COSTAIN WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ONLY A SMALL SHARE. EFFECTIVELY IT WOULD BE TRAFALGAR HOUSE AND GAMMON WHO WERE LEADING THE FRAY. FORMAL DECISIONS HAVE YET TO BE TAKEN IN THIS AREA BY THE CONSORTIUM BUT THE FIRM EXPECTATION IS THAT THEY WILL BID.
YYYY
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