78JZ Sg Issuer 25

RNS No 2452b
FIRST PACIFIC CAPITAL (1997) LIMITED
18th December 1998

      FIRST PACIFIC'S BERLI JUCKER HALTS TAKEOVER TALKS WITH SRITHAI

First Pacific's Thai flagship, Berli Jucker Public Company Limited, announced
today that it has terminated discussions with Srithai Superware Public Company
Limited regarding a possible investment in the company.

Berli Jucker announced in July that it had conditionally agreed to inject
approximately THB1.2 billion into Srithai in exchange for an equity interest of
at least 60 per cent, subject to Srithai's creditors consenting to restructure
its foreign currency debt.  However, after extensive discussions, management at
the two companies concluded that the transaction could not be structured in a
manner that fully met Berli Jucker's stringent investment criteria.

David Nicol, Berli Jucker's Chief Executive Officer, said:  "We have made every
effort to bring this transaction and the related debt restructuring to a
satisfactory conclusion.  However, a difference of opinion continues to exist
between Berli Jucker and Srithai's shareholders and creditors as to the level of
debt the company should sustain going forward.

"This makes the transaction impossible to complete on a sensible basis for Berli
Jucker's shareholders.  We have made every effort to resolve this difference but
feel that it would not be wise to proceed further.  We wish Srithai and its
creditors good luck in future."

Mr. Nicol added that Berli Jucker remains in discussion with several other
consumer and packaging companies operating in Thailand.

"I am fully confident in Berli Jucker's ability to expand further in these
areas, given the substantial opportunity that exists in the Thai market," he
concluded.

First Pacific has an 84 per cent economic interest in Berli Jucker, a
Bankok-based conglomerate, with extensive operations in the areas of packaging,
consumer products and engineering.

For further information, please contact:

First Pacific Company Limited
Robert Sherbin                              Tel:      (852) 2842 4380
Executive Vice President
Group Corporate Communications

Berli Jucker Public Company Limited
David J. Nicol                              Tel:      (662) 367 1024
President and CEO                           E-mail: davidnicol@berlijucker.co.th

Blair Sinton                                Tel       (662) 367 1026
Executive Vice President and CFO            E-mail: blair@berlijucker.co.th

First Pacific Company's information can also be accessed on:
Web Site: http://www.firstpacco.com
          http://www.irasia.com/listco/hk/firstpac
E-mail:   info@firstpac.com.hk

END

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