}
RESTRICTED
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY DTI
TELNO INTRA 88
OF 011055Z APRIL 92
RESTRICTED
HKA 182/3
INFO PRIORITY ECGD, FCO, TOKYO, SEOUL, PEKING
DTI FOR HALL, HEAD OF PEP.
FCO PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD.
67
050333 MDLIAN 6359
TOP COPY Q DIST?
Pa
-1 2/4
MY TELNO INTRA 79: HONG KONG AIRPORT PROJECT: THE MAIN BRIDGE.
SUMMARY
1. THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL BE CRITICAL FOR A DECISION ON THIS APPROXIMATELY POUNDS 700 MILLION CONTRACT. THE BRITISH LED GROUP STILL SEEMS WELL PLACED, ALTHOUGH WE ARE GETTING VERY DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS OF PROGRESS IN THE EVALUATION OF THE BIDS. A DECISION SEEMS LIKELY TO BE ANNOUNCED IN MID MAY.
DETAIL
2. THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR D. FORD, HAS TOLD ME THAT THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION EXPECT TO ANNOUNCE THE AWARD OF THE BRIDGE CONTRACT ON 18 MAY. THIS IS A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER THAN EARLIER PREDICTIONS. I ASSUME IT LIKELY THAT A DECISION WILL THEREFORE BE TAKEN INTERNALLY BY THE END OF APRIL, WHICH MEANS THAT THAT DECISION WILL BE TAKING SHAPE OVER THE NEXT 2-3 WEEKS.
3. WE ARE OF COURSE CONSTANTLY PROBING TO TRY TO FIND OUT HOW THINGS STAND. THE ADMINISTRATION ARE VERY TIGHT-LIPPED AND VARIOUS SOURCES, MOST OF WHO SHOULD BE VERY WELL PLACED TO KNOW THE INSIDE STORY, HAVE GIVEN US VERY DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS.
THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27(1)
1
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