G.F. 323
0003230
CONFIDENTIAL
機密
He
2.
The Minister said that H.M.G. disliked the S.A.S. approach and also saw no need for the service. said that there were already 30 flights a week between Hong Kong and Scandinavia involving only one change. One flight a week would lead to a public demand for further flights. He said that S.A.S. would have to negotiate their landing rights on a quid pro quo basis. The Director of Civil Aviation said that there was a requirement for this flight: S.A.S. obviously considered it economically viable and Hong Kong wanted a direct link with Scandinavia. Scandinavians (important trading partners to whom Hong Kong sent 24% of its exports by air) linked the provision of landing rights with Scandinavia's treatment of Hong Kong's exports. BOAC had no interest in a direct flight between Hong Kong and Scandinavia. It was accepted air philosophy that when a need for a service existed an unrequisited service might be granted.
The
He
3.
The Financial Secretary said that Hong Fong was concerned not only with ending this drawn out argument, but also with having some say in the control of Kai Tak airport, particularly against the background of the large investment of Hong Kong public funds in the airport. said that Hong Kong needed Kai Tak both for regional travel and for air freight. But the development of Kai Tak as an international airport at considerable cost to the Hong Kong public purse had provided the U.K. with valuable bargaining powers for use in negotiating air service agreements with other countries. He considered that H.M.G. had made two political errors over Kai Tak:
4.
(a)
(b)
There had been little contribution to the development of the airport; and
it would not act in Hong Kong's interests over S.A.S.
The Governor said that had H.M.G. substantially contributed to the development of the airport it would be publicly understandable if Hong Kong's interests were subject to those of H.M.G. But, in the present situation, Hong Kong's industrialists and politicians could not understand why H.M.G. was so obstructive over an issue which was to Hong Kong's direct benefit and of little interest to H.M.G. or B.0.A.C.
CONFIDENTIAL
機密