TNAG-0514-FCO40-579-Purchase-of-wide-bodied-aircraft-by-Cathy-Pacific-Airlines-1974 — Page 38

GRS 680

COIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM F.C.0. 081840Z

CONFIDENTIAL

REGE! ED IN RECIPPO. 51

11 MAR 1974

* ? (HK)

Me quest

Пе

PA

30.

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 090100Z (BTC AND GOV HONG KONG)

НКК HKK 21/12

74

"2

TO IMMEDIATE B.T.C. HONG KONG TEL NO 21 OF 8 MARCH/AND TO GOVERNOR

HONG KONG, PRIORITY BCARFE SAVING TO WASHINGTON.

CHOICE OF WIDE BODIED AIRCRAFT BY CATHAY PACIFIC.

LAST

REF.

(19) (24) (30)

31

REF

1. AS FORECAST IN MY TELNO 19 ADRIAN SWIRE AND JOHN BROWNE MET

ROGERS AND WARRINGTON THIS MORNING, MUCH OF THE CONVERSATION

COVERED THE SAME GROUND AS THE MEETING WITH SIR PETER THORNTON

19 WHICH WE REPORTED IN OUR TELNO 227.

3031

2. WE WERE GLAD TO HEAR OF THE PROGRESS BY LOCKHEED AND ROLLS-ROYCE

REPORTED IN YOUR CREDA 19. THE GENERAL DRIFT OF EVENTS WAS

CONFIRMED BY ADRIAN SWIRE AND JOHN BROWNE, HOWEVER THEY SAID THAT

CONTRARY TO YOU PARA 5 THE LOCKHEED CASE IS AS YET INCOMPLETE,

ACCORDING TO THEM BLUCK HAS NOT YET RECEIVED ANY FORMAL PROPOSALS

REGARDING THE TERMS OF THE PROPOSED GUARANTEE (OR GUARANTEES) FROM

LOCKHEED, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS HAD BEEN HELD UP BY KOCHIAN'S

ILLNESS AND THEY WERE NOW HOPING THAT BLUCK WOULD BE ABLE TO HAMMER THINGS OUT WITH KOCHIAN IN HONG KONG OVER THE WEEKEND.

ACCORDING TO THEM NO DECISION WILL BE TAKEN UNTIL THE TEXT OF

THE PROPOSED GUARANTEE HAS BEEN RECEIVED AND CAREFULLY EXAMINED.

WILL YOU PLEASE THEREFORE ENSURE THAT LOCKHEED ARE NOT UNDER ANY

MISAPPREHENSION ON THIS POINT ?

3. ADRIAN SWIPE SAID THAT CATHAY COULD NOT AFFORD TO POSTPONE

A FINAL DECISION BEYOND THEIR BOARD MEETING ON 18 (NOT 15) MARCH.

WE POINTED OUT THAT THIS LEFT PRECIOUS LITTLE TIME IN WHICH TO

FINALISE THE TERMS OF THE PROPOSED LOCKHEED GUARANTEE BUT OF

COURSE IF A DECISION FAVOURABLE TO THE TRISTAR COULD BE TAKEN BY THEN WE SHOULD BE DELIGHTED. IT SUBSEQUENTLY EMERGED THAT ADRIAN SWIRE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARE OF ROGERS' PLANS FOR A VISIT TO HONG KONG ON 20/30 MARCH, WHEN HE IS DUE TO DISCUSS OTHER TOPICS WITH BREMRITCE AND BLUCK. IF CATHAY WERE TO DECIDE TO DEFER THEIR DECISION ONCE MORE, THIS MICHT BE USED AS AN EXCUSE FOR FURTHER DELAY.

14: THERE WAS SOME

CONFIDENTIAL.