Registry No.
SECURITY CLA CATION
DRAFT LETTER
Top Secret,
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
.........................................In Confidence
To:-
Mr Dell
Type 1 +
From
Mr Judd
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
I understand that the Australians have asked for IMG's preliminary
reaction to their proposals for changing the basis of their air
services with other countries, including particularly the UK, which
officials of each side have been discussing here this week.
In view of the likely repercussions of the Australian proposal
on our relations with third countries, 1 think we should be careful
to give no immediate commitment. I suggest that we might respond
to their request with a form of words on the following lines:-
"IDIG would naturally wish to examine constructively any proposals
for a cheap fare policy for the Australia route for the benefit
of the air traveller. We are most grateful to the Australians
for their detailed explanation of their proposals to achieve this
objective. We shall now be glad to give these proposals careful
consideration. They raise a number of issues affecting
Governments of third countries. It would help HMG to reach
a conclusion if the Australians were able to give us some account
of the reactions of other governments affected, whom we understand
the Australians are now going to approach."
03 103087 400M S&K 1 77