CONFIDENTIAL
Mr. Williamsport. Mr. Edfyne
British Trade Commission in Hong Kong
Mail Address GPO Box No 528 Hong Kong
Telex HX 73031
Cable Address Uktrade Hong Kong Telephone 5-230176
9th Floor Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Hong Kong
Your reference
Pl speak
Our reference P 182/1(A)
22
DRC Durie Esq
PEP Division
Department of Trade
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H OET
нки
18211
Date 3 June 1982
NR
tear davidh,
No
190
HONG KONG REPLACEMENT AIRPORT
LGE 41/16 quo 1416
14/6
NR
Seefi
On my return to Hong Kong I discussed the draft paper prepared by Lazard Brothers on 11 May (of which you gave me a copy during my recent visit to London) with Michael Roberts, the local Lazards director, and Sir Horace Phillips, the local representative of Taylor Woodrow. I have subsequently received Memmott's note of your meeting of 5 May with Taylor Woodrow, GEC and Lazards. As I expect you are
Michael Roberts has sent further ideas to his people in London expanding the proposals to try to make a specifically British package attractive to the Hong Kong Government.
aware,
2. I believe we are in agreement that the next step should be for PEP to float the idea of a negotiated British package with John Bremridge, the Financial Secretary, who will be calling on the Department at some point during his current leave in the UK. I should like to put on record that I think we need to think very carefully before making any formal approach to the Hong Kong Government. I note for example that the fourth action point in the final paragraph of Memmott's record suggests that I be asked to seek the views of the Civil Aviation Department on HMG's involvement. I think this would be a wrong move. If we are to guide the Hong Kong Government down the road towards a negotiated package we must do so by tackling them at the very top. Any approach to Civil Aviation Department would run the risk of building up a body of opinion who would regard it as an attempt by the UK to circumvent and avoid Hong Kong's normal tender procedures; our purpose would, I am sure, soon leak to our competitors. I therefore think that until we receive an indication of the Hong Kong Government's interest in a negotiation we should deal only at the level of the Governor, the Chief Secretary or the Financial Secretary. We must of course take the Hong Kong & General Department of the FCO (to whom I am copying this letter) fully into our confidence.
3. I suggest that, provided John Bremridge's initial reactions are favourable, the next step should be the preparation of a comprehensive working paper which I could be asked to deliver to
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CONFIDENTIAL
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