TNAG-0425-FCO40-471-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 53

SECKO!

SECRET

3.

I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ADVISE ON WHETHER ROYCE SHOULD ACCOM- PANY. THIS DEPENDS UPON THE ROLE YOU WISH YOUR DEPARTMENT TO

PLAY.

YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE STEERING GROUP SHOULD HAVE A DIRECT AND UNIMPAIRED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE

CONSORTIUM.

4.

WITH SOME HESITATION I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE PURELY PERSONAL SUGGESTION THAT THE STEERING GROUP HAVE FOUUND PICCAGLI THE MOST COMPETENT, DECISIVE AND CLEAR SPOKESMAN OF ALL THE CONSORTIA THEY HAVE DEALT WITH. IF ACCEPTABLE TO THE PRINCIPALS HIS LEADERSHIP WOULD SEEM TO HOLD OUT MOST HOPE OF BRINGING OFF

I REALISE THE WHAT MUST BE A COMPLEX AND VERY RAPID EXERCISE. DELICACY OF THIS AND, I REPEAT, THIS IS A PURELY PERSONAL VIEW.

MACLEHOSE

FILES:

HEAD HKIOD FB/MR. ROYLE SIR D. WATSON MR. YOUDE

COPIES TO:

PS/SECRETARY OF STATE, DTI MR. D.N. ROYCE, DTI

2.

SSECRET