TNAG-0768-FCO40-972-Supplies-of-electrical-power-for-Hong-Kong-Castle-Peak-power-1978 — Page 134

DO BTC HONG KONG

GR 500A

DESKBY 310100Z

CYPHER CAT A

FM D 0 T 301815Z

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 3101007

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HKX164/1

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TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG TELNO INDUS 163 OF 30 AUGUST.

FOR MARCH FROM THORNTON.

YOUR INDUS 112: TRANSMISSION SYSTEM.

for 2018

Мариновой

пом убит.

1. WE NOTE THE POINTS MADE TO YOU BY SIR SIDNEY GORDON (PARA 1). FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS STAGE WE BELIEVE THAT THERE

SHOULD BE NO FINANCIAL PENALTIES IN EXTENDING THE OFFER EVEN AS FAR AS 30 NOVEMBER (THE DATE SET BY ECGD IN THE FINANCIAL PACKAGE). BALFOUR BEATTY HAVE YET TO CONFIRM. THERE MAY BE MARGINAL IMPLICATION

FOR TIMING.

2. LIPPITT WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT CLP SEEMED UNPREPARED TO BE HURRIED

BY THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTION HERE. HE IS HOWEVER CONTENT TO ACCEPT THE POSITION ASSUMING YOUR ADVICE IS (AS I HAVE INTERPRETED IT TO HIM) THAT IT WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE FURTHER TO PRESS THE POINT. HE WILL IN THAT CASE WISH IT BORNE IN MIND (AND IN DUE COURSE EXPLAINED TO CLP) THAT SENIOR OFFICIALS* TIME WILL VERY LIKELY AT THE TIME OF NEGOTIATIONS BE UNDER GREAT PRESSURE WITH NEW MINISTERS (AND/OR ADMINISTRATION). SO THEY MUST BE SHORT AND TO THE POINT.

3. THOUGH WE CANNOT QUITE YET FORMALLY ACCEPT THE EXTENSION OF THE OFFER VALIDITY, WE SHALL NEED TO PLAN THE TECHNICAL VISIT ON THE UNSTATED ASSUMPTION THAT THIS WILL SORT ITSELF OUT.

4. THE TECHNICAL TEAM WILL BE LEAD BY HAVELOCK, WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF BEI, CEGB, BALFOUR BEATTY, GEC, AND NEI (REYROLLE), (I HOPE MYSELF ALSO TO BE THERE, THOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES MAY DICTATE OTHERWISE). WE HOPE TO AVOID BRINGING K AND D. THE EARLIEST DATE AFTER MID- SEPTEMBER WHEN SUITABLY AUTHORITATIVE TEAM CAN BE ASSEMBLED IS 20 SEPTEMBER: WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THE TEAM SHOULD FLY ON 21 SEPTEMBER TO START WORK ON SATURDAY 23RD AND LEAVE TOWARDS THE END OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK. COULD YOU TRY THESE DATES ON CLP?

5. IT LOOKS FROM HERE AS IF ASSUMING THE EXTENSION IS OK, THE LIPPITT TEAM SHOULD COME OUT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AT THE END OF.. OCTOBER/BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, TO LEAVE ADEQUATE TIME FOR NEGOT→. IATION AND ACTUAL SIGNATURE OF A LETTER OF INTENT BY 30 NOVEMBER. WE SHALL ADVISE FURTHER.

6. OTHER POINTS IN YOUR INDUS 112. WE NOTE THAT ELECTROWATT ARE APPOINTED: GOLDSMITH HAS HIMSELF ALSO CONFIRMED THIS TO US...WE SHALL

NEXT WEEK BRIEF HIM AS INDICATED IN PARA 7 OF OUR INDUS 178.

MEANWHILE WE HAVE ARRANGED FOR DISTRIBUTION OF THE BID AS REQUESTED IN YOUR PARA 3. (CEGB ALREADY HAD IT IN A NON-FINAL VERSION).

7. I AM TOLD BY BEI THAT THE TIMETABLE IN YOUR PARA 4 FOR CEGB EVALUATION WILL BE MET.

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