GRS 200
IMMEDIATE
CYP CAT A
FM PEKING 170845Z JAN
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 26 OF 17 JAN.
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG.
IN
HKK184/1
راسة
23 JAN
ستا
-No LA
MY TELNO 16 OF 13 JANUARY: AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT
See
1. WE MENTIONED TO OFFICIALS OF THE MINISTRY OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT DINNER LAST NIGHT THE FORTHCOMING
CALL BY THE CHINESE COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR ON RODGERS
AND ASKED WHAT THE BACKGROUND WAS,
2. THEY SAID THAT DURING THE VISIT OF THE VICE-
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, MR TSENG SHENG, TO LONDON,
IN NOVEMBER, MR CLINTON DAVIES HAD INDICATED AN INTEREST IN CONCLUDING THE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT ''ON THE
JAPANESE PATTERN"', MR LIU WOULD BE RESPONDING TO
THIS APPROACH''. ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT REVEAL WHAT
THE RESPONSE WOULD BE IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THEY STILL
HAD IN MIND A POLITICAL ASSURANCE (ALTHOUGH IT WAS
NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE DEMAND THAT THIS SHOULD BE PUBLIC WOULD BE MAINTAINED).
3. IT IS THEREFORE POSSIBLE THAT LIU WILL ENQUIRE
WHETHER WE ARE NOW READY TO MEET THE CHINESE CONDITIONS
ON WHICH THE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE IN THE PAST FOUNDERED.
WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS HIS PURPOSE THE BEST TACTICS WOULD
BE TO REMAIN NON-COMMITTAL UNTIL WE SEE THE COLOUR
OF CHINESE MONEY.
YOUDE
FILES
[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]
FED
MAED
HK & GD.
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
CONFIDENTIAL
T..ken
124