CONFIDENTIAL
063533
MDLIAN 7207
STRONGER LOCAL PRESENCE THAN SOME OF THE BRITISH CONTENLERS. ALLEN MENTIONED THE KEENNESS OF THE BOUYGUES-DRAGAGES GROUP FROM FRANCE WHO ARE A MAJOR CONTENDER FOR BOTH THE BRIDGES AND PLATFORM, WHO HE SAID SEND OUT HIGH-LEVEL TEAMS, MOST RECENTLY A GROUP OF 15 TOP PEOPLE LED BY GISCARD D'ESTAING. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE MAIN ENERGIES OF OUR COMPANIES COMPETING FOR THE BRIDGES AND FOR THE PLATFORM SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO THE BIDDING PROCESSES, THEY SHOULD NOT NEGLECT THE NEED FOR A PUBLIC RELATIONS PRESENCE HERE (PARTICULARLY TRAFALGAR HOUSE/COSTAIN: BALFOUR BEATTY ARE BEING MUCH MORE ACTIVE). THE RECENT VISIT BY SIR GORDON MANZI REPRESENTING TRAFALGAR HOUSE AND COSTAIN INTERESTS WAS A USEFUL RESUMPTION AFTER A LONG HIATUS, BUT IT SCARCELY COMPETES WITH THE EFFORTS OF SOME OF THE AMERICAN, JAPANESE, FRENCH AND OTHER EUROPEAN COMPANIES ARE MAKING. ALLEN OF COURSE KNOWS THE BRITISH COMPANIES WELL AND WILL BE SYMPATHETIC TO OUR EFFORTS WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF HIS ROLE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT HE SEES THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN LONDON AND HE IS OF COURSE PLEASED AND GRATIFIED THAT HE IS SEEING MINISTERS. HE IS SOMEONE WHO CLEARLY RESENTS BEING RECEIVED AT ANYTHING LESS THAN THE HIGHEST LEVEL CHE IMPLIED SOME BRITISH BANKS HAD IRRITATED HIM IN THIS WAY), BUT HE IS SYMPATHETIC AND SHOULD PROVE HELPFUL.
HEAP
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
95
MAIN
87
PADS
LIMITED
HKD
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
ERD
RAD
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
PS/PUS
MR BAYNE
FED
JOINT DIRECTORATE
SIR J COLES
NEWS D
MR MILES
PLANNERS
MR BURNS
PUSD
ADDITIONAL
8
PAGE 5 CONFIDENTIAL