00 BTC HONG KONG DESKBY 080100Z
GR 900
CONFIDENTIAL
DEY 080100Z
FM DTI 072157Z DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
HEKIGUTION
NO
RECEIV
OFFICE
No
TELEGRAM NUMBER INDUS 316 OF 7 DECEMBER
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
GERY NO. 51
FOR MARCH FROM THORNTON. MIPT. SUBMISSION BEGINS:
PS/MR WILLIAMS
HONG KONG TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PRESS RELEASE.
78
REGISTRY Action Taen
333
мливо
HR&GD
TRET
See
FURTHER TO MR. LIPPITT'S SUBMISSION OF 1 DECEMBER AND YOUR
MINUTE OF 5 DECEMBER, I NOW SUBMIT A DRAFT PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM ORDER, WHICH WOULD GO OUT (ASSUMING THE
ORDER GOES AHEAD) ON TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER.
THE LINES OF THE DRAFT HAVE BEEN LARGELY AGREED BY THE VARIOUS INTERESTED PARTIES, AND CHINA LIGHT AND POWER HAS SEEN AND WERE CONTENT WITH AN EARLIER WORKING DRAFT. THE PRESENT VERSION IS BEING SENT SIMULTANEOUSLY TO HONG KONG (WHERE BALFOUR BEATTY ARE STILL IN DISCUSSION WITH CLP) AND ANY LAST MINUTE CHANGES WILL BE NOTIFIED TO YOU.
IN PARTICULAR, THE EXACT WORDING OF ANY REFERENCE TO THE OPTION FOR THE SPUR LINE TO THE CHINESE BORDER IS NOT YET AT ALL CLEAR. IT IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED DESIRABLE TO MENTION THE OPTION, SINCE IT RAISES THE TOTAL VALUE OF POSSIBLE BUSINESS TO PRACTICALLY £100 MILLION, AND BECAUSE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ANY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES INVOLVING CHINA IS NORMALLY ATTRACTIVE. ON THE OTHER HAND, FIRM INTEREST ON THE PROPOSAL FOR SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY TO CHINA IN EXCHANGE FOR COAL HAS ONLY JUST BEEN EXPRESSED TO CLP, AND IT IS THOUGHT POSSIBLE THAT THEY MIGHT BE SENSITIVE TO PUBLIC ANNOUNCE- MENTS OF MEASURES SO OBVIOUSLY RELATING TO THE PROPOSAL ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE STORY HAS ALREADY BROKEN IN THE HONG KONG PRESS. WE ARE SEEKING ADVICE IN HONG KONG AND PEKING ON THE QUESTION. WE SHOULD BE GLAD TO KNOW WHETHER THE MINISTER IS CONTENT WITH. THE ATTACHED DRAFT, SUBJECT TO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM OUR POSTS. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CLP BOARD WILL APPROVE THE ISSUE OF A LETTER OF INTENT AT THEIR MEETING TOMORROW. ENDS
DRAFT PRESS RELEASE BEGINS:
£85M HONG KONG TRANSMISSION SYSTEM ORDER
ALAN WILLIAMS ANNOUNCES NEW EXPORT ORDER.
1. CHINA LIGHT AND POWER HAS ANNOUNCED IN HONG KONG TODAY THAT THEY HAVE ISSUED A LETTER OF INTENT TO BALFOUR BEATTY LTD., FOR THEIR NEW 400 KV TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES OF HONG KONG. THIS EXPORT ORDER IS WORTH £85H
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