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Hass 132
131012 MDHIAN 0447
FOR HEAP FROM ADAMS, PEP
(47)
YOUR TELNO 311 TO THE FCO: HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT: FINANCIAL PROPOSALS AND MAIN BRIDGE CONTRACT
1. FOLLOWING YOUR TELNO 302, ROGERS SPOKE TO TRAFALGAR HOUSE. I HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED TUR WITH SIR GORDON MANZIE TODAY.
2. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF LACK OF INTEREST OR SERIOUS
INTENT ON THE PART OF TRAFALGAR HOUSE, COSTAIN OR SCHRODERS. THE AJC STARTED WORK ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT WELL BEFORE ANY OF THE OTHER MAIN BIDDERS. AS YOU KNOW, OVERSEAS PROJECT FUND SUPPORT WAS DEPLOYED TO HELP THEM OVER THIS. TRAFALGAR CONFIRM THAT PREPARATION OF THE CONSORTIUM'S BID IS FULLY ON COURSE. THIS IS OF COURSE A MAJOR UNDERTAKING, AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY ISSUES WHICH REMAIN TO BE RESOLVED: BUT A MAJOR EFFORT IS IN HAND AND THEY REMAIN CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL BE PUTTING FORWARD AN ATTRACTIVE PROPOSAL. ECGD HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FORMAL APPLICATION FOR THE MAIN BRIDGE AND WHITEHALL DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING CONSULTED AS IS REQUIRED. AS MENTIONED TO YOU ON THE TELEPHONE THERE HAS ALSO BEEN CONSIDERABLE ACTIVITY WITHIN WHITEHALL. WE AND ECGD BRIEFED THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND MINISTER FOR TRADE ON MONDAY 28 OCTOBER AND THERE HAVE BEEN MEETINGS BETWEEN FCO, ECGD AND PEP ON THE FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS.
3. WHERE THE CONSORTIUM HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN AT FAULT IS IN FAILING TO KEEP THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FULLY IN TOUCH WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR FINANCIAL PROPOSALS. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ENCOURAGED A CONTINUOUS DIALOGUE ON THIS ASPECT NOT LEAST FOLLOWING MY MEETING WITH SIR DAVID FORD IN LATE JULY IN HONG KONG. THE IMMINENT MANZIE/DEWE MATTHEWS VISIT SHOULD HELP TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. MANZIE IS SEEING THE GOVERNOR ON 8 NOVEMBER AT NOON AND THE CHIEF SECRETARY AT 5.00 PM ON THE SAME DAY. MANZIE'S WORKING DAYS ARE NOVEMBER 7 AND 8 AND NOVEMBER 11 AND 12. HE MAY THEN GO ON TO TOKYO.
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