HKK 18x
CONFIDENTIAL
GK 275
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 130851Z
CONFIDENTIAL
INDEX
23 JAN WS
No Tapa
TO PRIORITY F.C.O TELNO.46 OF 13 JANUARY 78,
INFO PRIORITY PEKING.
YOUR TELNO.11 TO PEKING : AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT.
Kon
1. THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION HERE OF RENEWED CHINESE INTEREST IN AN AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT. HOWEVER, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THIS TO BE THE PLACE FOR SUCH INTEREST TO SURFACE FIRST.
2. ONE LOCAL ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PAPER HAS RECENTLY FLOATED A STORY, ATTRIBUTED TO USUALLY RELIABLE SOURCES'', THAT THE CHINESE INTEND TO START SCHEDULED PASSENGER SERVICES LINKING HONG KONG,
IT IS NOT CLEAR CANTON AND SHANGHAI, USING TRIDENT AIRCRAFT. WHERE THIS RUMOUR COMES FROM. NO APPROACH HAS BEEN MADE BY THE CHINESE ON ANY OFFICIAL NET. IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS, A CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN HAS REFERRED TO THE REPORTS AS ''PURE SPECULATION' AND HAS SAID THAT SUCH SCHEDULED FLIGHTS WOULD REQUIRE AN AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND
CHINA.
3. HAYWARD'S TELELETTER TO PAUL (FEC 184/2) OF 29 DECEMBER, JUST RECEIVED, SUGGESTS THAT SOME BENEFIT COULD BE OBTAINED FROM REFERRING TO OUR HELPFUL ATTITUDE TOWARDS CONTINUING NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHTS TO HONG KONG. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE CHINESE HAVE NOT YET APPROACHED US WITH ANY SPECIFIC PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER FLIGHTS. WE WILL TELL YOU IF AND WHEN THEY MAKE A MOVE.
4. WE WILL BE INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT THE COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR HAS TO SAY. WE WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN DETAILS OF AMERICAN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE.
MACLEHOSE
FILE S
FED
MAED
[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]
HK & GD
N AM D
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
CONFIDENTIAL
22