TNAG-0514-FCO40-579-Purchase-of-wide-bodied-aircraft-by-Cathy-Pacific-Airlines-1974 — Page 17

GPS 280

IMMEDIATE

DESKBY 160100Z

CONFIDENTIAL

Тор Сору

PA

за

CYPHER/CAT A

FM FCO 151840Z

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51

18 MAR 1974

HKK 21/12

•

18.m

DESKBY 160100Z

MARCH

1974

TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 288 OF 15 MARCH AND TO BTC HONG KONG AND PRIORITY BCARFE HONG KONG

MY TELS 10 283 AND 284

CHOICE OF WIDE BODIED AIRCRAFT BY CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS

AS FORECAST IN MY TELNO 283 BROWIE MET WARRINGTON AND ROGERS TO-DAY, HE CONFIRMED WHAT BLUCK HAD TOLD YOU. HE SAID THE MANAGEMENT OF CATHAY PACIFIC HAD CIRCULATED A FURTHER PAPER TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR CONSIDERATION AT THEIR MEETING ON 18 MARCH. IN THIS, THEY HAD RECOMMENDED THAT A LETTER OF INTENT SHOULD BE SIGNED

FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO LOCKHEED 1911S WITH AN OPTION ON ANOTHER TWO

2. HE SAID THAT THIS CHANGE OF MIND HAD BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT PARTLY BY THE IMPROVED OFFERS FROM LOCKHEED AND ROLLS-ROYCE AND PARTLY ALSO BY THE UNDERSTANDING THAT SWIRES HAD OBTAINED OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST AS A RESULT OF THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH US. THEY APPRECIATED WARRINGTON'S LETTER OF 14 MARCH (TEXT AS IN MY TELNO 284) AND THE RELEVANT EXTRACTS FROM HANSARD WHICH HE

HAD SENT THEM.

3. BROWNE EVIDENTLY DOES NOT EXPECT ANY DIFFICULTY OVER THE CATHAY BOARD ACCEPTING THIS ADVICE AND FOR THIS REASON NEITHER HE NOR ADRIAN SWIRE INTENDS TO GO TO HONG KONG FOR THE BOARD MEETING ON MONDAY.

CONFIDENTIAL

/4.IT WAS NOT

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