CONFIDENTIAL
136166
MDHIA 1816
OF MY FINAL DEPARTURE, WITH A VIEW TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON 8 MAY. SINCE MY SUCCESSOR IS NOT DUE TO ARRIVE UNTIL CI UNDERSTAND) 19 MAY I AM PREPARED TO CONSIDER STAYING ON A FEW EXTRA DAYS TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT THIS FISH IS LANDED, AND AM TRYING TO TAKE SOUNDINGS OF THE DESIRABILITY OF THAT HERE. OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD CAUSE CONSIDERABLE PERSONAL INCONVENIENCE AT THIS LATE STAGE TO CHANGE OUR PLANS, AND I WILL ONLY DO THIS IF IT LOOKS AS IF I COULD BE USEFUL. MY GUESS IS THAT ONCE IT IS PUT TO EXCO NO FURTHER CHANGES ARE LIKELY, AND THAT IF THERE IS ANY COMPLICATION AFTER THAT WHICH MIGHT DELAY AN ANNOUNCEMENT IT WOULD ARISE FROM THE INFORMING OF CHINESE AUTHORITIES WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE BETWEEN 5 AND 8 MAY, BUT ON THAT I AM NOT LIKELY TO BE CONSULTED AND THEREFORE PROBABLY CANNOT BE HELPFUL. IF HOWEVER TRAFALGAR HOUSE HAVE ANY STRONG VIEWS ON MY BEING HERE THROUGHOUT NEXT WEEK, OR IF, ALTERNATIVELY, THE GOVERNOR REVEALS TO MINISTERS THAT IT IS ALL OVER BAR THE SHOUTING AND THAT THE ANGLO-JAPANESE GROUP WILL GET THE CONTRACT (WHICH WOULD LARGELY REMOVE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR ME TO STAY) THEN PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
5. I UNDERSTAND THAT INTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS ARE TAKING PLACE NOW IN LONDON BETWEEN TRAFALGAR HOUSE, COSTAIN AND MITSUI ON THE LIKELY DIVISION OF WORK. THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GAMMON, ONE OF HONG KONG'S LARGEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WHO ARE 50 PER CENT OWNED BY TRAFALGAR HOUSE, TELLS ME THAT IN THE EVENT OF SUCCESS MOST OF THE WORK WILL BE DONE BY TRAFALGAR HOUSE ON THE BRIDGE ITSELF, AND BY GAMMON FOR THE SUBSTRUCTURE, AND THAT COSTAIN WILL DO VERY LITTLE, DESPITE THEIR 30 PER CENT SHARE IN THE CONSORTIUM, AND THAT THE MITSUI SHARE ALSO WILL NOT BE LARGE ALTHOUGH TRAFALGAR HOUSE AND COSTAIN ARE TRYING TO KEEP THE MITSUI SHARE UP AGAINST COUNTER-PRESSURES FROM MITSUI. WHATEVER THE FINAL EXTENT OF MITSUI'S INVOLVEMENT, THEIR PRESENCE IN THE GROUP WILL BE A VERY USEFUL CARD TO PLAY IF THERE ARE STRONG CRITICISMS OF BRITAIN BEING UNDULY FAVOURED.
HEAP
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