TNAG-1636-FCO40-2252-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 81

Conclusions

CONFIDENTIAL

25.

Our preliminary conclusions are as follows:

(i)

We must develop our plans as soon as possible.

(ii)

The precise nature of our post-1997 requirements

is not easy to determine. Further planning work may refine our present, rather loose, estimates,

but is unlikely to lead us even in the medium term

to precise estimates of the manpower and office

accommodation needed.

(iii)

Our broad options are

(a) to build - but high capital outlay and

relatively small needs raise serious doubts

about financial viability (unless a suitable

co-developer could be found);

(b) to lease or buy in existing or future

speculative, multi-occupation office blocks;

(c) to acquire an existing non-commercial site,

such as the Prince of Wales Building in HMS

TAMAR (or its tower alone);

CONFIDENTIAL