TNAG-0423-FCO40-469-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 203

3.

HE IS SURE THAT THERE WILL BE IN EXCESS OF POUNDS STERLING

10 MILLION FOR BRITAIN IN THIS. AS HE SEES IT IT WILL BE A 3

WAY SPLIT.

4.

GK

G KN'S ROLE WILL BE LARGELY AS A PROCUREMENT AGENCY TO

ORGANISE SUPPLY OF TRAINS, SWITCHGEAR CTHROUGH REYROLLE PARSONS),

TRACE AND CABLE. THEY WILL ALSO ACT AS MOBILISERS OF UK ELEMENT

OF FINANCE.

5.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME TALK OF INVITING A BRITISH CIVIL ENGINEER-

ING CONTRACTOR INTO THE CONSORTIUM BUT IT NOW SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT

THEY WILL DECIDE TO DO SO.

5.

CONSORTIUM IS NOW RECONCILED TO THE NEED TO PRODUCE A BUDGET

PRICE WITH ASSUMPTIONS ALTHOUGH STILL NERVOUS THAT THEY MAY BE

PINNED TO IT. HE CONFIRMS THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CONSORTIUM HAS

BEEN VERY LOOSELY KNIT, HAS DONE LITTLE PREVIOUS HOMEWORK AND

HAD LITTLE BACKGROUND FROM HONG KONG. HE PERSONALLY WAS NOT

INVITED TO THE DISCUSSIONS UNTIL LAST FRIDAY AND UNDERSTANDS THAT

HOCHTIEFF HAD NOT APPROACHED HERMES UNTIL THEN.

7. BUCKLER HIMSELF IS ONLY A HIRED CONSULTANT AND WILL NOT

BE TAKING PART IN DISCUSSIONS IN EUROPE. HE HAS SENT HIS REPORT

BY TELEX TO G K N AND IS OFF TO ANOTHER PROJECT IN INDONESIA.

ASTON.

EXCED DISTRIBUTION HKIOD

-2-

3.