Flag B
(283)
Flag C (28
Mr Youde
KL
271
ps to Mr Abfie A.R.
PS
Private Secretary
CONFIDENTIAL
285
(2010)
200
1
M. Payle
Le
aubeniscicu
Separate
Secretary f
HONG KONG MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM
Minjiter
RECEIVED IT REGIS
23 NOV
√ RIBN HKK 21/4
his commented.
العدية
and
घ्र
his
has cho feur
معنا
iniuuate
G Re
State (attained whore)
Листвеств
This was
$295
20/11
Flag A (27) 1. I suggested in my submission of 6 November that the Hong Kong
Government would not like the Anglo-Italian proposals.
correct. In a personal message to Sir D Watson (Hong Kong
telegram no. 1315) the Governor described them as totally
inadequate. Subsequently the Secretary of State for Trade and
Industry sent the Governor a personal message (FCO telegram no. 1179)
but his reaction has been (Hong Kong telegrams nos. 1322 and 1323)
that the Anglo-Italians must do better.
Flag D 28
Flag E
200
Flag F
(201
(293)
2.
The Governor's case is well argued. He is conscious of the
political dangers of giving a contract to the Japanese. He would
like to see an offer based on the best aspects of the original
British and Italian proposals but does not wish to have to argue
the merits of our case on political grounds alone.
3.
Whether the Anglo-Italians are prepared to refine or improve
their bid must, in the last resort, be a matter for their commercial
judgment. The Governor regards the present offer as inadequate both
in substance and in presentation. But in conversation with
3Mr Aston, Mr Haddon-Cave has made it clear (Hong Kong Creda telegram
no. 140) that the main stumbling block is still the absence of a
fixed price.
4. We discussed the situation with Mr Royle this morning and
agreed that we should make it quite clear both to the DTI and to
the consortium that they must not lean on us to ensure for them
Nely noted
CONFIDENTIAL
/the acceptance
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.