TNAG-0425-FCO40-471-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 97

SECRET

DRAFT TELEGRAM TO HONG KONG GOVERNOR

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM SECRETARY OF STATE

FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY. YOUR TELEGRAM TO FCO NO 1322

ASS TRANSIT.

ANY THANKS FOR YOUR HELPFUL ADVICE.

MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH

AND ITALIAN GROUP ARE GETTING TOGETHER IN LONDON ON FRIDAY

AND HOPE IN THE COURSE OF NEXT WEEK TO WORK UP THEIR

PROPOSALS TO THE POINT AT WHICH A TEAM COULD COME TO

HONG KONG TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK TO DISCUSS

PRSENTATION OF THEM TO THE STEERING GROUP IN A FORM WHICH

COULD PERSUADE THE GROUP TO KEEP THE ANGLO-ITALIAN CONSORTIUM

IN THE COMPETITION. THE BRITISH GROUP HAVE PARTICULARLY

VALUED YOUR INDICATION THAT IT WOULD NOT MATTER IF THE

PRICE WENT OVER THE CEILING OR THERE WERE SOME PROVISION

FOR ESCALATION ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THIS COULD BE

COVERED BY ADJUSTING THE CASH FLOW. ASSUMING AN ANGLO-

ITALIAN TEAM COMES OUT NEXT WEEK WOULD THERE BE ANY

ADVANTAGE AT YOUR END IF I SENT ROYCE WITH THEM? ROYCE

HAS RECENTLY TAKEN OVER THE OVERSEAS RINANCE AND PLANNING

DIVISION WHICH ACTS AS THE CO-ORDINATING POINT FOR OFFICIALS

WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.

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