TNAG-0422-FCO40-468-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 168

PAGE FOUR

7. IN ROUNDING UP THE CONVERSATION HE STRESSED AGAIN THAT

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THE BRITISH GROUP BEING ON THE

SHORT LIST SEMICOLON HE REALIZES WE MIGHT GET JAPANESE

TERMS THROUGH BERNE UNION BUT QUOTE THAT IS YOUR BUSINESS

UNQUOTE AND DOES NOT FEFL ABLE TO REVEAL THEM HIMSELF

SEMICOLON HE IS AWARE OF POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN BRITAIN

BUT HAS TO CONCERN HIMSELF WITH QUOTE POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS UNQUOTE HERE SEMICOLON AND THERE IS UNLIKELY TO BE ANY

FURTHER ACTION UNTIL TOWARDS END FEBRUARY OR ANY

FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS UNTIL APRIL.

COMMENT

8. I THINK HADDON-CAVE HAS BEEN LESS THAN HONEST OVER

TFLLING US OF JAPANESE BID BUT IT WILL TAKE A DIRECTIVE FROM THE GOVERNOR AND A MAJOR ROW TO GET DETAILS OUT

OF HIM BEFORE NEXT STAGE. HE IS FULLY AWARE OF OUR

TIME-TABLE DIFFICULTIES AND NEED TO GIVE MAXIMUM NOTICE

IF WE HAVE TO THINK OF IMPROVING OFFER. IT IS SOME

ASSURANCE THAT DESPITE THE REVISED JAPANESE OFFER WE ARE

STILL WELL IN THE RUNNING. WEEDON AND I STILL CONTINUE

TRYING TO GET SOME HINT OF JAPANESE TERMS BUT I SUGGEST

WE CONCENTRATE NOW ON GETTING JAPANESE TERMS THROUGH BERNE

UNION.

SENT AT

RECD AT

18/0956Z 18/8956Z KRW

SAM