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FM BTC HONG KONG TO IMMEDIATE DTI
TELNO INTRA 200
OF 29065OZ JULY 92
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, ECGD
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HKA 182/3
Pa
158
062146
MDHIAN 3670
FOR HALL, PEP.
FCO FOR HONG KONG DEPT.
YOUR TELNO INTRA 191: AIRPORT PLATFORM.
152
1. TUR CROSSED WITH OUR TELNO INTRA 198, WHICH GAVE THE LATEST STATE OF PLAY ON THE SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT. (THIS TENDS TO BE CALLED THE PLATFORM CONTRACT LOCALLY, BUT YOUR TERM IS, I THINK, THE CORRECT ONE). YOU HAVE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SUBSEQUENT FLURRY ABOUT ECGD FINANCING. CHRIS ROBBINS WILL RETURN TO LONDON
WELL BRIEFED ON THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY.
2. THE OFFICIAL LINE, WHICH I CONFIRMED ON THE AFTERNOON OF 27/7 WITH ANSON CHAN, IS THAT THE AIRPORT PROJECT IS ON COURSE AND, WHILE THERE MAY BE DELAY IN SIGNING CONTRACTS, THE TIME-TABLE FOR RECEIVING AND JUDGING BIDS WILL BE ADHERED TO. OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE FAILURE YET TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE ON FINANCING ETC, BUT FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES THE ONLY ADVICE WE CAN GIVE TO BRITISH COMPANIES IS THAT THEY MUST ASSUME THAT THE PROJECT IS GOING AHEAD AS PLANNED. IF THEY PLAY SAFE BY HOLDING BACK, THEY RISK LOSING OUT.
3. I DO NOT FIND IN PRACTICE THAT THIS CAUSES MANY BRITISH COMPANIES UNBEARABLE PROBLEMS. EVERY BIG PROJECT SUFFERS FROM DELAY AND BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS THE AIRPORT IS STILL GOING
AHEAD AT HIGH SPEED.
4. THE LINE TAKEN BY SOS/FCA AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY AFTERNOON GIVES THE ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND. PERHAPS HKD OF THE FCO, TO WHOM I AM COPYING THIS TELEGRAM, COULD PASS YOU THE TRANSCRIPT.
5. DEVELOPMENTS ARE OCCURRING DAILY SO WATCH THIS SPACE.
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