TNAG-0375-FCO40-421-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 16

SECRET AND PERSONAL

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1

file

Telephone 01-

His Excellency

Sir Murray MacLehose KCMG MBE

Governor

Your reference

Our reference

Date

24 September 1973

HONG KONG

1.

Dear Duray,

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21/4

Cohur BHICK comer to

You will have received from Private Office an advance copy of the record of your talk with the Secretary of State. I enclose herewith, because I imagine you will want to keep it separate, the additional passage on the Mass Transit system. I know that the British consortium, and particularly GEC, have been having meetings with Peter Walker in the last week to decide what to do. It seems they have hoisted in what you had to say to Lord Aldington. I gather the search for possible fresh partners is proceeding apace, and they are aware of the danger of a pre-emptive Japanese bid.

2. I gather that Peter Walker still takes the view that the so-called Anglo/French/German consortium has nothing in it for us; that GKN has not the capacity to do any significant part of the work themselves, and would have to sub-contract widely, not necessarily in this country.

ENC: 1

1

SECRET AND PERSONAL

Yours ever

Adre

A C Stuart

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department