HKA 182/3
CONFIDENTIAL
66)
MR WALL
CC
Mr Gozney, FCO
Mr Ricketts, Hong Kong Department, FCO
31 MARCH 1992
Cory: All Card Cothness
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HONG KONG AIRPORT: TSING MA BRIDGE
fir J Coles
will give thr Burns He flavour of this 1- guarded terms if he calls today.
Gordon Manzie called in this afternoon to report on
progress.
2. Mr Step Mer funnest 14
PA
other
Cobalt Viv
He had been encouraged by information that the Hong Kong Highways Department favoured the Anglo/Japanese Consortium.
In the view of the Department, neither of the other two
remaining competitors, ie the South Koreans and the Franco/German Group, had the necessary experience in bridge building.
On the other hand, the Koreans were still in the game; they had put in the lowest tender; they also had a Chinese
partner and what he assumed were inspired articles were
beginning to appear in the Hong Kong press to the effect that the Korean/Chinese partnership headed the field. There could
therefore be trouble with the Chinese if the Koreans did not
win.
A further complication was that the Hong Kong Government, having originally encouraged offers of finance,
had now decided not to accept any such offers and to confine themselves to cash contract prices. The Anglo/Japanese Consortium had, however, already submitted offers with and
without finance.
Manzie was relatively hopeful. He saw the key period as that between 2 and 16 April, after which he expected an
invitation to the favoured bidder to undertake detailed
negotiations on the contract. A final announcement would be
issued in May. On reflection, he did not want to suggest a
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.