223
GR 240
EN CLAIR
FM WASHINGTON 242250Z
UNCLASSIFIED
#KE 184
84/1
1. 1978
ECEIV
DESK
INDEX
No
TOP COPY
TRY
b: Teken-
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR AND-BCARFE) TELNO 11 OF 24
APRIL, AND TO ROUTINE FCO.
LANDING RIGHTS IN HONG KONG.
YOUR TELNO 4.
See 240
224
1. WE BELIEVE THAT NOMAD'S TRAVEL CLUB CANNOT REASONABLY BE CATEGORISED AS A COMMERCIAL ORGANISATION. THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE OF AVIATION, TO WHOM MR BENICH HAS READ OVER A NUMBER OF THE DOCUMENTS FOR WHICH YOU HAVE ASKED, HAVE REACHED THE SAME PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION. THE DOCUMENTS CONCERNED ARE IN THE MAIL TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT (AND TO YOUR AERONAUTICAL AUTHORITIES) AND, IF, ON EXAMINATION, THEY CONFIRM THIS PRELIMINARY VIEW, THEY INTEND TO TELEX RELEVANT EXTRACTS TO THE US REPRESENTATIVES IN HONG KONG. 2. AS REGARDS THE LEVEL OF THIRD PARTY INSURANCE COVER, THE STATE
DEPARTMENT ALLEGE THAT EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT, OF WHICH THERE ARE A
NUMBER ON THE US REGISTER WHICH ARE OF SIMILAR SIZE TO THE CV990 ARE NOT REQUIRED BY HONG KONG TO CARRY DOLLARS 150 MILLION OF INSURANCE. THEY WILL ARGUE THAT, THIS BEING SO, IT WOULD BE UNREASONABLE TO APPLY IT TO NOMADS, IE THEY WILL TURN YOUR OWN ARGUMENT ON ITS HEAD AND SAY THAT, IF A LARGE AIRCRAFT CRASHES, IT IS LIKELY TO DO THE SAME AMOUNT OF THIRD PARTY DAMAGE IRRESPECTIVE
THEIR OF ITS COMMERCIAL STATUS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON BOARD. PROPOSITION IS LIKELY TO BE THAT, IN VIEW OF THE SHORTAGE OF TIME AND THE FACT THAT IT IS FOR A SINGLE LANDING, YOU SHOULD AUTHORISE THE NOMADS' VISIT NOW BUT THAT, IF IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE CONTINUING DIFFICULTIES OR DISAGREEMENT, THEY WILL BE VERY HAPPY
TO DISCUSS THESE.
3. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD KEEP US INFORMED.
JAY
FILES
HK & GD (6)
MAED
MR MURRAY