CONFIDENTIAL
106573
MDHIAN 0223
ACTIVITY: AND THAT IT IS PERFECTLY POSSIBLE THAT THE UK ELEMENT WILL INCREASE OVER THE COMING MONTHS. WE ARE PRESSING BECHTEL UK FOR A MUCH INCREASED UK PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT WORK. THEY ARE SYMPATHETIC FOR OBVIOUS REASONS BUT THE FINAL DECISION WILL BE TAKEN BY THE PARENT COMPANY.
4.
HOWEVER IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A HIGHER PROFILE APPROACH WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE. GIVEN BECHTEL'S APPOINTMENT FOR PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AND GREINER'S FOR THE MASTER PLAN, WE ARGUABLY HAVE A MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL GRIEVANCE ABOUT THE US FOCUS WHICH THIS WORK IS ACQUIRING. AS YOU SAY, THIS SITUATION MAY IRONICALLY BE CONVENIENT IN RELATION TO THE PRC: AND WE MAY EVEN BY ABLE TO EXPLOIT IT WHEN IT COMES TO THE MAJOR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS. BUT IN THE SHORT TERM IS THERE SCOPE FOR PERSUADING THE HKG THAT IT IS IN THEIR INTERESTS TO PRESS FOR MAXIMUM UK INVOLVEMENT IN THE BECHTEL WORK SO AS TO GENERATE PRESSURE ON BECHTEL DIRECT FROM THE HKG? IF IT WAS CONSIDERED DESIRABLE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, FOR EXAMPLE, MIGHT WRITE TO THE GOVERNOR TO EXPRESS CONCERN ETC. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AS TO WHETHER SUCH AN APPROACH WOULD BE HELPFUL.
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MR ADAMS, PEP, DTI MR ROGERS, PEP, DTI
MR GALLAHER, PEP, DTI MR MEADWAY, OT2, DTI MR MCLAREN, FCO
MR ALAN PAUL, HKD, FCO MR DAVIES, FED, FCO
COMED
DTI VIC ST
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