谬
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050333
MDLIAN 6359
THE JAPANESE AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE, WHILE BOTH THE KOREANS AND THE FRENCH-LED BID HAVE MAJOR STRIKES AGAINST THEM ON GROUNDS OF LACK OF SUFFICIAL RELEVANT BRIDGE BUILDING EXPERIENCE. THERE ARE REPORTS THAT THE KOREANS WERE DROPPED SOME WEEKS AGO BUT I DISCOUNT THESE. I DOUBT THAT OUR SOURCES, WHO I AM SURE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING, WOULD MISLEAD US TO THIS EXTENT. I SUSPECT THAT NEVERTHELESS THE KOREANS WILL BE DROPPED AND THAT IT WILL THEN BE A CONTEST BETWEEN THE BRITISH LED AND FRENCH LED GROUPS WITH THE FORMER MUCH THE MORE EXPERIENCED BUT THE LATTER SAFER IN TERMS OF LIKELY LOCAL REACTION. IF CORRECT, THEN ON MERIT THE TRAFALGAR HOUSE LED GROUP SHOULD BE WELL PLACED.
8. MEANWHILE SIR GORDON MANZIE OF TRAFALGAR HOUSE HAS TOLD ME THAT EACH OF THE FOUR CONTENDERS HAS JUST BEEN TOLD THAT THE FINANCIAL PACKAGES, WHICH WERE NEVER A COMPULSORY PART OF THE BID, WERE NOT NOW GOING TO BE CONSIDERED, AND THAT THE BID WILL BE JUDGED ON TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS ALONE. MANZIE ALSO SAID THAT THEY HEARD FROM ANOTHER SOURCE THAT SIR DAVID FORD HAD SAID TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT THE CONTEST WAS LIKELY TO LIE BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND THE FRENCH LED GROUPS.
HEAP
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
30
ΜΑΙΝ
27
HKD
FED//HD
PUSD//HD
PUSD//DPTY HD
ECONOMIC ADVISERS//HD
ERD//HD
RAD//MR WYE
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
MR BONE
ADDITIONAL
3
MR HALL HD/PEP DTI
SIR P CRADOCK NO 10.
NNNN
MS B CORNER, CAB OFF
PAGE
3
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