TNAG-1061-FCO40-1311-The-Kowloon-Canton-Railway-1981 — Page 19

NR

HO/PO @34/14

PP D C T

7R DOI

GRS 275

CONFIDENTIAL

HKR 173/2

INDE.

15 OCT 1981

No

दह

21/10

FM BTC HONG KONG 142948Z OCTOBER 81

TO PRIORITY DO T

-129/Five

51

RELISTAY

ction Taken

TELEGRAM NUMBER CREDA 246 OF 14 OCTOBER

Пет

BU 19/16

ا

استلمه

CKE TRED

16/10 note

BUZKO HKGD

FED Mutagen

R+R:

C.G.E.

15/10

25

X3

INFO ROUTINE DO I (PERSONAL FOR NANZIE) Mr. Willian suJisu

PERSONAL FOR BENJAMIN, PEP DIVISION

MY CREDA 213. KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY W

Pl. heep in touch

w/PEP & let me know

outume

I NEED GUIDANCE ON THE VIEW WHICH WOULD BE TAKEN BY ECGD IF

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WERE AT. THIS LATE STAGE TO ASK FOR

CREDIT FOR THE K CR VARIATION ORDER.

w

wm

Mr. Sam is preparing a reply i

We

a co

copy. CEE 16/10

2. PRIVATE SOUNDINGS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE KCR MANAGEMENT receive AND WITH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND HIS DEPUTY LEAD ME TO

BELIEVE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE INCLINED TO ACCEPT

SANSOME'S REVISED BID FOR A FURTHER 16 X 3 CAR TRAIN SETS. BUT

THE ADVENT OF JOHN BREMRIDGE AS FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAS

INTRODUCED A MORE COMMERCIAL OUTLOOK IN FINANCE DEPARTMENT

WITH THE RESULT THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY ASK ME WHETHER NORMAL BUYER (1.E.- SUBSIDISED) CREDIT TERMS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE PURCHASE.

3. SO THAT I COULD GIVE A PRELIMINARY RESPONSE TO SUCH A

REQUEST, I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR A STEER IF POSSIBLE BY THE END

OF THIS WEEK. I RECOGNISE THAT FOLLOWING THE EFFORTS DESCRIBED

IN YOUR CREDA 175 THERE WILL BE AN UNDERSTANDABLE RELUCTANCE

TO DO MORE TO LAND THIS ORDER. I THINK THAT PROVIDED I CAN PUT

FORWARD AN IMMEDIATE AND REASONABLE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY CREDIT COULD NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT COULD BE TURNED AWAY FROM A FORMAL

APPLICATION TO ACCEPTANCE OF MET-CAM'S CURRENT CASH OFFER

WHICH I SUSPECT THEY FIND ATTRACTIVE.

MARCH