TNAG-2408-FCO40-3502-Hong-Kong-Port-and-Airport-Development-Strategy-(PADS)-Brit-1992 — Page 14

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HKA 182/3

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MDHIAN 0835

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FM BTC HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE DTI TELNO INTRA 107

OF 18012OZ APRIL 92

AND TO PRIORITY FCO

INFO PRIORITY SEOUL, PEKING, TOKYO

FOR HALL, HEAD OF PEP.

.79

MY TELNO INTRA 104: HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT: MAIN BRIDGE

CONTRACT.

SUMMARY

1. THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST CARRIES AN EDITORIAL VERY HELPFUL INDEED TO BRITISH EFFORTS TO WIN THIS VERY MAJOR BRIDGE CONTRACT. IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ENHANCE OUR PROSPECTS.

DETAIL

сбер

2. THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (SCMP) IN ITS SOLE EDITORIAL OF FRIDAY 17 APRIL SEES THE CONTEST FOR THE TSING MA BRIDGE CONTRACT AS BEING BETWEEN HYUNDAI AND THE ANGLO JAPANESE GROUP, AND GOES ON TO WARN OF THE RISKS OF IT GOING TO HYUNDAI, AND ENDS IF IN THE NEXT 10 DAYS THE (HK) GOVERNMENT CHOOSES TO PLAY SAFE BY OPTING FOR AN ANGLO JAPANESE TEAM TO BUILD IT, THE KOREANS CAN ONLY BLAME EVENTS IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY INSTEAD OF ACCUSING HONG KONG OF LEANING TOWARDS BRITISH COMPANIES''.

3. THIS IS TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL, AND COMES AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME, AS A DECISION ON THIS POUNDS 700 MILLION OR SO CONTRACT TAKES SHAPE, WITH THE RESULT EXPECTED IN THE COMING WEEKS. THE FULL TEXT OF THE EDITORIAL IS IN MIFT.

4. THE EDITORIAL FOLLOWS A LUNCH I HAD WITH THE EDITOR, PHILIP CRAWLEY, THE DAY BEFORE (WITH ONLY OURSELVES AND OUR WIVES PRESENT). WE DISCUSSED THE BRIDGE CONTRACT AT LENGTH AND I SPELLED OUT OUR HOPES AND CONCERNS, AND PARTICULARLY MY WORRY THAT RECENT CRITICISM OF BRITISH CONSULTANCY FIRMS GETTING TOO MANY AIRPORT CONTRACTS COULD MAKE IT ADDITIONALLY DIFFICULT FOR THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION TO AWARD THE BRIDGE CONTRACT TO THE BRITISH LED GROUP. CRAWLEY WAS SYMPATHETIC AND WE AGREED AN EDITORIAL WOULD BE HELPFUL. THE OUTCOME COULD NOT BE BETTER. (CRAWLEY WRITES THE EDITORIALS HIMSELF).

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