TNAG-2409-FCO40-3503-Hong-Kong-Port-and-Airport-Development-Strategy-(PADS)-Brit-1992 — Page 239

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155771

MDHIAN 676

POUNDS 700 MILLION IT IS A HUGE CONTRACT ON ANY SCALE, AND THE SUCCESS FOR THE COMPANIES CONCERNED WOULD BE WORTH MAXIMUM PUBLICITY. MOREOVER IF HE WAS HERE HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR REBUTTING ANY CRITICISMS WHICH MIGHT SUGGEST FAVOURITISM TO BRITISH COMPANIES. I ALSO SUGGESTED THAT A VOCAL MITSUI PRESENCE AT THE TIME OF THE AWARD COULD HELP DEFUSE THE LATTER.

4 =

WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING PUBLICITY AND PRESS LINES WITH THE ANGLO-JAPANESE GROUP AND WITH THE INFORMATION PEOPLE IN THE HKG. WE HAVE I THINK PLENTY OF AMMUNITION READY IF THE CRITICS ARE VOCAL. IN VIEW OF THE TWO DAY GAP BETWEEN EXCO AND THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAVING BEEN INFORMED, THERE MUST BE A CONSIDERABLE RISK OF A LEAK BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE SO WE MAY HAVE TO DEPLOY SOME OF OUR ARGUMENTS BEFORE THEN. INDEED SINCE THE ABOVE WAS DRAFTED WE UNDERSTAND THAT RADIO AND TV STATIONS ARE ALREADY SAYING THAT EXCO TODAY APPROVED THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT TO THE ANGLO JAPANESE GROUP.

HEAP

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

84

.HONG KONG AIRPORT GENERAL

HKD

PUSD

ECONOMIC ADVISERS

ERD

FED

JOINT DIRECTORATE

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BROOKS

.AND MS BARRETT

NEWS D

ADDITIONAL

8

NO 10//SIR P CRADOCK

HMT//MR MACINTYRE

BANKE//MR C ELSTON

CAOFF//MISS D CORNER

ECGD MR PENTECOST ECGD

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

92

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

PS/PUS

MR CROWE

SIR J COLES

MR MILES

MR BURNS

CAOFF //MR A CHARLTON

CAOFF//MR SIBSON

DTI//MR ROGERS PEP

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