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GROUP THAT IS LIKELY TO LOOK POLITICALLY ATTRACTIVE TO THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT AS WELL. BUT I GATHER FROM WIMPEY THAT NO AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPANIES IS YET FINALISED.
10. THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL NOW BE VERY CRITICAL IN DETERMINING
WHETHER BRITISH COMPANIES ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THESE LARGEST TWO ELEMENTS IN THE PROJECT. THE COMPANIES ARE NO DOUBT CURRENTLY DEVOTING MUCH OF THEIR ATTENTION TO THE GULF. BUT THIS PROJECT MERITS TOP LEVEL ATTENTION TOO. TO HELP FURTHER THEIR CHANCES OF SUCCESS I SUGGEST WE SHOULD (A) DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT TRAFALGAR HOUSE/COSTAIN AND MITSUI NOT ONLY PURSUE BOTH CONTRACTS WITH VIGOUR BUT ARE SEEN TO DO SO HERE. VISIT AT CHAIRMAN LEVEL WOULD SURELY BE APPROPRIATE FOR CONTRACTS OF THIS SIZE: (B)
ENCOURAGE AJC TO BROADEN THEIR BASE AND THEIR APPEAL BY LOOKING AT NEW PARTNERS PARTICULARLY FOR THE SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT (AND GIVE A RESPONSE TO HOPEWELL): (C) GIVE ALL THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT WE CAN TO OTHER BRITISH CONTENDERS SINCE I AM VERY DOUBTFUL WHETHER AJC'S CHANCES ARE STRONG ENOUGH FOR US TO HAVE ALL OUR EGGS IN THAT BASKET: (D) URGENTLY INVESTIGATE WHETHER ANY OF THE OTHER MAJOR BRITISH CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WHO HAVE NOT SO FAR SHOWED AN INTEREST IN THIS PROJECT, E.G. TAYLOR WOODROW, TARMAC, HIGGS AND HILL ETC, MIGHT WISH TO PRE-QUALIFY FOR THE SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT, EVEN AT THIS LATE STAGE: (E) CONTINUE TO REMIND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AT APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF HMG'S
KEEN SUPPORT FOR BRITISH COMPANIES IN THIS PROJECT AND MINISTERS'
INTEREST IN SEEING THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN WINNING A REASONABLE SHARE OF THE CONTRACTS, ALONG THE LINES INDICATED IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY'S MINUTE TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF 21 FEBRUARY REPORTING ON HIS VISIT HERE, WHEN HE WROTE THAT WE NEED TO ''SHOW IN THIS COUNTRY THAT OUR SUBSTANTIAL POLITICAL COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG IS MATCHED BY COMMERCIAL SUCCESS''.
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