CONFIDENTIAL
84
151234
MDHIAN 7684
CONFIDENTIAL
FM DTI
TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG TELNO INDUS 15
OF 02140OZ AUGUST 91
FOR HEAP FROM ROGERS PEP
HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT
7
HKB 182/3
REGIST
14 AUG 1991
SK OFFICER
THANKS FOR YOUR OTTER 147 AND 148.
2.
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PEGK
पि
WE AGREE IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR MR ALLEN TO SEE A DTI
MINISTER. YOU WILL RECALL THAT ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR HIM TO CALL ON MR SAINSBURY DURING HIS LAST VISIT, BUT THAT ALLEN WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE TIMES WHICH MR SAINSBURY COULD MAKE AVAILABLE. WE ARE PUTTING IN HAND ARRANGEMENTS FOR A CALL IN SEPTEMBER. WE WILL HOPE TO OFFER YOU TWO OR THREE SLOTS SHORTLY, AND TAKE IT THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CLEAR TIMING WITH ALLEN. OUR INCLINATION IS THAT MR SAINSBURY SHOULD BE REGARDED AS THE PORT OF CALL: WE DO NOT THINK IT IS SUITABLE TO HAVE PARALLEL MEETINGS WITH BOTH HIM AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE. WE ALSO HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT GENERATING THE EXPECTATION OF A CALL ON A MINISTER ON EVERY VISIT IF (AS SEEMS LIKELY) HE WILL BE VISITING THE UK FREQUENTLY. BUT I DO UNDERLINE THAT WE VERY MUCH SHARE YOUR VIEW THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT MR SAINSBURY ESTABLISHES A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. WE WOULD OF COURSE HOPE TO SEE HIM FOR MORE
DETAILED DISCUSSIONS AT THE SAME TIME.
3
WE SAW MANZIE EARLIER THIS WEEK PRIOR TO HIS VISIT TO
HONG KONG NEXT WEEK. THEY ARE CLEARLY CRANKING UP THEIR PREPARATIONS FOR BIDDING FOR THE FIXED CROSSING. MUCH DISCUSSION WILL BE REQUIRED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL BASIS COR BASES) ON WHICH THEY BID: ONE THOUGHT IS THAT THEY WILL ONLY FORMALLY BID ON THE CONVENTIONAL BASIS, WHILE INDICATING THAT THEY ARE HAPPY TO NEGOTIATE ON ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURES (THE OUTLINE OF WHICH THEY WILL INDICATE). THOUGHT WILL BE NEEDED
ON WHETHER THIS SOUNDS RIGHT.
4.
BENJAMIN HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH US FOLLOWING HIS RETURN FROM HONG KONG, AND WE HAVE ENCOURAGED THE AJC TO GIVE FURTHER THOUGHT TO POSSIBLE LINKS THERE. THAT INEVITABLY RAISES THE
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