5.

CONFIDENTIAL

130020 MDHIAN 1533

GROUP

WE HAVE HEARD SEPARATELY FROM THE ANGLO-JAPANESE THAT THEY HAVE NOW REMOVED THE LAST OF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS TO THEIR BID, ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL BE SOLVED A DIFFERENCE ON LIQUIDATED DAMAGES AND THE ANGLO-JAPANESE GROUP LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES WERE BEING ASKED TO COME OUT QUICKLY TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER.

NEARLY

6. THE PRESS HERE CONTINUES TO CARRY DISPARAGING ARTICLES, ALL KOREA SOURCED, ABOUT HYUNDAI. I ALSO GAVE A LIMITED DISTRIBUTION WITHIN SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO SEOUL TELNO 209, WITHOUT COMMENT.

7. MEANWHILE SOME POWERFUL FIGURES IN HONG KONG (LORD KADOORIE WAS ONE) HAVE SAID TO ME THAT THEY DO NOT SEE THAT THE HK ADMINISTRATION CAN DO OTHER THAN GIVE THE CONTRACT TO HYUNDAI GIVEN THEIR PRICE ADVANTAGE, AND THAT THEY WERE PREQUALIFIED. GLEDHILL, CHAIRMAN OF SWIRES, AND NORMALLY A STAUNCH FRIEND OF THE UK, AND A MEMBER OF THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND TIPPED TO BECOME IT CHAIRMAN WHEN HE RETIRES FROM SWIRES IN A MONTH'S TIME, IS SAYING TO ALL AND SUNDRY THAT DESPITE THE PRICE DIFFERENCE THE CONTRACT SHOULD GO TO THE JAPANESE, SINCE ONLY THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. ALMOST EVERYONE SAYS THAT IF IT IS NOT AWARDED TO THE KOREANS AND IS AWARDED TO THE

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PAGE CONFIDENTIAL

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27(+)...

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