TNAG-0422-FCO40-468-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 111

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Ado

B

SECRET

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 198545Z

SECRET

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 194 OF 19 FEBRUARY, 1973.

PERSONAL FOR SIR DUNCAN WATSON FROM GOVERNOR.

YOUR TELEGRAM 181: MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY.

la

2

26-54

YOUR PARA 2. I AM HORRIFIED TO DISCOVER THAT THIS IS CORRECT.

I HAD ASSUMED THAT EX. C. PAPERS WENT TO FCO AT THE SAME TIME

AS THEY WERE DISTRIBUTED TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TWO WEEKENDS

BEFORE THE RELEVANT MEETING. HOWEVER I FIND THAT THE PRACTICE IS

TO SEND THEM AFTER THE MEETING TOGETHER WITH THE MINUTES (1

SUPPOSE TO GUARD AGAINST CASES IN WHICH PAPERS ARE WITHDRAWN OR

AMENDED AT THE LAST MINUTE). UNFORTUNATELY THOSE WHO APPRECIATED

THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE PAPER TO YOU WERE UNAWARE

OF THESE MECHANICS AND VICE VERSA. THE PAPER HAS BEEN SENT TO YOU

PERSONALLY TOGETHER WITH THE MINUTES.

2. THE MAIN POINTS OF THE DECISIONS TAKEN ARE:

A) A FIRM DECISION IN PRINCIPLE TO PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FULL MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AS PROPOSED BY THE CONSULTANTS,

AND A FIRM DECISION TO PROCEED IMMEDIATELY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION

OF THE FIRST 4 STAGES.

B) TO INVITE THE FOLLOWING CONSORTIA TO HOLD FURTHER DISCUSSIONS:

1) THE JAPANESE CONSORTIUM

2) THE BRITISH GROUP

3) 1.M. INTERMETRE S.P.A.

4) HONG KONG METRO CONSTRUCTORS.

13.

SECRET