CONFIDENTIAL
MD
032707
N 1615
4.
COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR CALLED ON MITI ON 6 AUGUST EMPHASISING HMG'S SUPPORT FOR THE AJC AND THE ENCOURAGING NEWS OF LI PENG'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE NEED FOR A NEW HONG KONG AIRPORT. MITI REAFFIRMED THEIR INTEREST IN SEEING THE PROJECT SHAPE UP AS A MAJOR EXAMPLE OF UK/JAPANESE INDUSTRIAL COLLABORATION. THEIR UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT C ITOH WERE CONTINUING EFFORTS TO LINE UP A RIVAL CONSORTIUM TO THE AJC. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES MITI COULD OBVIOUSLY NOT INTERVENE TO THE EXTENT OF ADVISING ONE GROUP TO STAND DOWN. BUT THEY AGREED IT MADE MORE SENSE TO POINT THE INTERESTED ELEMENTS TOWARDS A COORDINATED APPROACH. OKUDA (DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC COOPERATION COORDINATION OFFICE) UNDERTOOK TO SPEAK TO BOTH MITSUI AND C ITOH WITH A VIEW TO ENCOURAGING THE KEY JAPANESE ELEMENTS TO FALL INTO LINE
QUICKLY.
5.
MITI WERE CONCERNED THAT THE UK ELEMENTS TOO SHOULD REMAIN TIDILY IN PLACE. THEY HAD BEEN TOLD BY C ITOH THAT KLEINWORT BENSON HAD BEEN TAKEN ON AS FINANCIAL ADVISERS AND MOTT MACDONALD AS DESIGN CONSULTANTS FOR THE C ITOH GROUPING. WE EMPHASISED THAT THERE DEVELOPMENTS (WHICH WERE NEW TO US) SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A SUGGESTION THAT UK INTERESTS IN THE FIXED LINK WERE BEGINNING TO SCATTER, AND REAFFIRMED HMG'S FULL SUPPORT FOR AJC.
FIELD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
4
NO DISTRIBUTION DTI, VIC ST
COMED
NNNN
4
DISTRIBUTION
FED
HKD
PAGE 2 CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.