TNAG-2139-FCO40-3058-Hong-Kong-International-Airport-1990 — Page 42

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27 MAR 1990

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FICER

TO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG CEIVED IN...

TELNO OTTER 31

OF 20170OZ FEBRUARY 90

FOR HEAP FROM ROGERS PEP1

HONG KONG AIRPORT

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THE SECRETARY OF STATE HELD A MEETING ON 19 FEBRUARY WITH LORD TREFGARNE AND OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS PROGRESS ON THE HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT. IN GENERAL MINISTERS WERE CONTENT WITH OUR CURRENT APPROACH. A PARTICULAR POINT IS THAT BOTH MINISTERS BELIEVE IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR LORD TREFGARNE TO VISIT HONG KONG AT SOME POINT OVER THE COMING MONTHS, AND WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE ON BEST TIMING FOR THIS.

2. AS YOU KNOW, IT WAS ORIGINALLY SUGGESTED THAT A VISIT MIGHT TAKE PLACE IN APRIL: BUT THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT THIS WOULD BE UNWISE FROM A POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW. MR RIDLEY'S ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE POLITICAL SITUATION (PASSPORTS, THE BILL) MIGHT BE MORE SETTLED BY JUNE: AND THIS IS THE EARLIEST PERIOD WHICH IS NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION. ALTERNATIVELY, IF FOR OTHER REASONS MID-SUMMER LOOKS UNWISE OR IMPRACTICABLE, THE EARLY AUTUMN (SEPTEMBER?) IS THE OBVIOUS ALTERNATIVE.

SEEN FROM HERE, THE EARLIEST USEFUL TIME FOR A VISIT WOULD BE A PERIOD WHEN PROJECT MANAGEMENT HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR A SHORT TIME AND WHEN THE HKG WAS MOVING TOWARDS MORE FINAL DECISIONS ON THE PRECISE WAY FORWARD. IT IS NOT EASY TO JUDGE IN ADVANCE PRECISELY WHEN THE BEST TIME FOR SUCH INFLUENCE WOULD BE: BUT MID-SUMMER OOKS REASONABLE FROM THIS POINT OF VIEW, PARTICULARLY GIVEN UR DESIRED EMPHASIS ON A FAST TRACK APPROACH. GRATEFUL FOR UR VIEW.

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THE PROPOSED VISIT HAS NOT YET BEEN CLEARED IN WHITEHALL: WE ARE TAKING PRELIMINARY SOUNDINGS FIRST.

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