PRIORITY
EN CLAIR
PS160
FM WELLINGTON 2405362
UNCLASSIFIED
124
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 54 OF 24 FEBRUARY 1979
2 7 FEB 1978
DECK OFFICER INDEX
¡PA
MIPT: UK/NZ AIR SERVICES
TEXT IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
No
NEW ZEALAND AND BRITISH OFFICIALS HELD TALKS IN WELLINGTON THIS
WEEK TO REVIEW AIR SERVICES ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND
AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. THESE WERE THE FIRST FORMAL BILATERAL
TALKS HELD BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS SINCE 1962, AND TOOK
PLACE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES SINCE
THAT DATE. REPRESENTATIVES OF AIR NEW ZEALAND, BRITISH AIRWAYS AND CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS WERE ALSO PRESENT AT THE DISCUSSIONS.
IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO REACH ANY FINAL CONCLUSION TO THE TALKS THIS WEEK AND THEY ARE TO BE CONTINUED AT DATES TO BE AGREED IN MAY OR JUNE. MEANWHILE, BRITISH AIRWAYS ROUTE SCHEDULE CHANGES WILL COME INTO OPERATION AS PLANNED ON 1 APRIL WHILE FROM THAT DATE AIR NEW ZEALAND WILL FLY TO HONG KONG DIRECT
FROM AUCKLAND AS ALREADY ANNOUNCED.
ENDS.
SMEDLEY
FILES
MAED
ECOND
SEAD
sup D.
HKIGD
MRTHOMAS.
MR MURRAY
MR BUTLER
MR Burrows.
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