CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 122330Z SEOUL
TELNO 3
OF 12123OZ MARCH 92
INFO PRIORITY F CO
PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD
YOUR TELNO 133 TO THE FCO
1.
CONFIDENTIAL
HKA 182/3
53
166035
MDLIAN 1260
TOP LUPY Q DIST?
ва
13/3
I HAVE NO PARTICULAR POINTS TO SUGGEST THAT YOU MIGHT MAKE TO THE CHAIRMAN OF HYUNDAI AND HIS COLLEAGUES ON 13 MARCH. IT
WILL BE HELPFUL HOWEVER IF YOU COULD STEER THE CONVERSATION TO THE HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT BRIDGE CONTRACT WITH A VIEW TO EXPLORING THEIR LEVELS OF DETERMINATION AND EXPECTATIONS. SHOULD THEY SHOW ANY HESITATIONS ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO HANDLE THE
CONTRACT THEN OF COURSE WE COULD USE THESE DISCREETLY BUT
EFFECTIVELY.
2.
IT IS AN ODD SITUATION SINCE ON SEVERAL OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS IN HONG KONG BRITISH COMPANIES ARE LOOKING TO WORK WITH HYUNDAI AS PARTNERS. ON THE BRIDGE CONTRACT HOWEVER WE CAN ONLY HOPE TO
WIN THIS CONTRACT WORTH SOME POUNDS 600 TO POUNDS 700 MILLION FOR THE UK IF WE CAN CONVINCE THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION THAT HYUNDAI MIGHT NOT COMPLETE IT IN TIME. SUCH IS THE NATURE OF THE AIRPORT PROJECT THAT ALL PARTS WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFULLY CO-ORDINATED AND IF THE BRIDGE IS EVEN A FEW MONTHS LATE IT NOT ONLY WOULD DELAY THE WHOLE PROJECT BUT WOULD ADD GREATLY TO THE COSTS.
3. PROJECTS ON WHICH BRITISH COMPANIES HERE HOPE TO WORK WITH HYUNDAI ARE THE NORTH LANTAU EXPRESSWAY STAGE ONE (PART OF THE AIRPORT APPROACH ROAD), WITH AMEC, AND POSSIBLY THE THIRD HARBOUR CROSSING (A TUNNEL) WHICH IS ALSO PART OF THE OVERALL AIRPORT PROJECT (GROUPS ARE NOT YET FINALLY FORMED FOR THIS SO THE BRITISH PARTNERS ARE NOT CLEAR BUT TARMAC AND WIMPEY ARE INTERESTED). A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN SINGAPORE (SUNTEC) WORTH POUNDS 350 MILLION WILL BE DECIDED IN HONG KONG THIS WEEK, AND THERE HYUNDAI ARE IN DIRECT COMPETITION WITH JOHN LANG AND AMEC (BOTH UK), AND ALSO NISHIMATSU.
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