PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FF CO 811347Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
45
(HK)
73
TO PRIORITY COVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 215 OF 1 MARCH/ÌÑFO
ETC HONG KONG.
FÜR HADDON-CAVE FROM CLAVES-SMITH, OVERSEAS FINANCE AND PROJECTS
DIVISION, DTI.
1. AS YOU MAY KNOW, I AM CO-ORDINATING AT THIS END THE UK
INDUSTRIAL INTEREST IN THE MASS TRANSIT SCHEME.
2. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BRITISH CROUP CALLED ON ME ON 27
FEBRUARY. THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE VERY DISTURBED BY REPORTS THEY
HAD RECEIVED FROM THEIR CONTACTS IN HONG KONG THAT YOU WERE EXPECTING TO GET FROM THEM IN THE MARCH/APRIL DISCUSSIONS A NEAR FIRM PRICE FOR STAGES 1 TO 4. (THESE REPORTS ARE IN LINE WITH
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING FROM ASTON,
3. THEY SAID THEY WERE DISTURBED FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, IT
WAS INCO PATIZLE WITH ALL THEIR DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, IN WHICH
TVEY, AC EXPLAINED THAT NO-ONE COULD QUOTE A MEANINGFUL PRICE IN
THE ABSENCE OF SPECIFICATIONS. THEY HAVE THEREFORE SUGGESTED
EARLY TALKS WITH YOUR CONSULTART ADVISERS IN LUNDON, PRIOR TO THE MARCH/APRIL DISCUSSIONS IN HONG KONG, TO OBTAIN ALL THE
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND TO AGREE ON A FAIR
MECHANISM FOR DETERMINING PRICES. THIS WOULD ENABLE THE BRITISH
CROUP TO SUBMIT PRICES IN OCTOBER, AND THE CONTRACT COULD BE SETTLED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
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SECONDLY, THE REPORTS WERE INCONSISTENT, AS THEY SEE IT, WITH YOUR LAST DIRECT COMMUNICATION TO THEM. IN YOUR LETTER OF
15 FEBRUARY YOU SAID THAT ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THE TALS IN MARCH/APRIL WOULD BE TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY ADVANCIN THE DATE ON WHICH A REASONABLY FIRM PRICE COULD BE
ESTIMAT D. THERE WAS NOTHIN IN THIS TO ALERT THEM TO THE IDEA
THAT YOU EXPECTED A PRICE AT THE APRIL TALKS THE SELVES, /5. THESE
CONFIDENTIAL
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