CONFIDENTIAL
like the UK to get the contract.
Sir Piers Jacobs had also
told him privately that he did not entirely rule out a negotiated bid provided that the bid was a strong one, with Japanese fabricators as part of the team.
2. Sir G Manzie and Mr Fletcher said that the UK members of the consortium were making good progress in putting together a preemptive bid. They had enough information on which to do this because they enjoyed a privileged relationship with Mott MacDonald, the consultant for the fixed link
(information which should not be disclosed to the Hong Kong Government). They also had access to detailed information about projected traffic flows from Schroders, who were acting as their financial advisers (and had previously been involved in the Hong Kong Government's feasibility studies). They were confident that if they decided to put in a preemptive bid, it would be a very respectable proposal.
The Japanese Dimension
3. Sir G Manzie and Mr Fletcher acknowledged that they were still having problems with Mitsui. At their meeting in
Hong Kong at the end of May, Ikeda, the Executive Vice President of Mitsui, had claimed that he was still confident of bringing in the four main Japanese players, and had promised to do so within three days. But the response from Mitsui had been disappointing. Although Mitsui were now very keen to sign up the contract, the UK members of the consortium were not prepared to sign up with Mitsui or to show them any detailed figures until Mitsui had demonstrated that they could deliver the other Japanese players.
4. Mr Fletcher said that the "Big Four" (Nippon Steel, MHI, IHI and NKK) were not prepared to take on trust the design work done by the UK members of the consortium and were
ASHADQ/2
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.