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HKA 182/3
102
155164 MDHIAN 2624
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
AND TO DESKBY 05090OZ DTI
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 05090OZ FCO
TELNO 127
OF 04230OZ MAY 92
INFO PRIORITY SEOUL, TOKYO
n
Pa
7515-
FOR RICKETTS, HKD
DTI FOR HALL, HEAD OF PEP
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YRTELNO 86: MAIN BRIDGE CONTRACT
1. MIFT CONTAINS OUR PROPOSED LINE TO TAKE AND BULL/DEFENSIVE POINTS SHOULD THE ANGLO-JAPANESE CONSORTIUM (AJC) WIN THE MAIN BRIDGE CONTRACT. WE WILL RECEIVE SHORTLY A COPY OF THE AJC PRESS RELEASE WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION IN LONDON. WE WILL ALSO PLAN TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON THE PRESS AND PR ASPECTS. WE WILL SUPPLEMENT THIS MATERIAL WITH ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT MAY EMERGE FROM THE AJC MATERIAL.
2. WHILE WE ARE STILL BEING TOLD THAT NO FINAL DECISION ON THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT HAS YET BEEN TAKEN, EVERYTHING IS ON COURSE FOR IT BEING PUT TO EXCO TOMORROW, 5 MAY, AND, IT SEEMS, FOR IT TO BE PUT TO THE CHINESE VIA A HK ADMINISTRATION BRIEFING (PROBABLY THE TREASURY SECRETARY) TO A JOINT GATHERING OF BOTH JLG TEAMS (CONSTITUTING THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE), ALSO TOMORROW, 5 MAY. CURRENT PLANS ARE FOR A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT DURING THE MORNING OF 7 MAY. THIS I WAS TOLD IN GREAT CONFIDENCE BY THE CHIEF INFORMATION ADVISER TO HKG YESTERDAY, BUT LATER THE GOVERNOR TOLD ME THAT HE HAD ASKED FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON WEDNESDAY 6 MAY, SO PRESUMABLY THIS IS NOW LIKELY. (LORD WILSON TOLD ME THIS AT A PRIVATE MEETING, WHICH WAS MY FAREWELL CALL: HE SAID HE WOULD NOT TELL ME THE LIKELY OUTCOME, JUST AS HE HAD NOT TOLD MINISTERS WHEN IN LONDON LAST WEEK).
3. FURTHER MEETINGS WITH THE AJC GROUP TOOK PLACE OVER THE WEEKEND AND TODAY, 4 MAY. WE UNDERSTAND THEY WENT WELL. WE KNOW OF NO PARALLEL MEETINGS WITH ANY OTHER GROUP. WHEN WE ARE THIS CLOSE TO BRIEFINGS OF EXCO AND THE CHINESE, AND TO A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT, I CAN ONLY BELIEVE THAT A DECISION HAS IN FACT BEEN TAKEN, AND THAT THAT DECISION IS IN FAVOUR OF THE ANGLO-JAPANESE
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