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LETTER
GT Rogers Esq
Civil Aviation International Relations
Department of Trade
1 Victoria Street
LONDON SW1H OET
Division
Mr Murray
CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS:
CHINA
Thank you for your letter of 28 November, enclosing
a draft reply to Adrian Swire's letter of 15 November.
I am sorry not to have replied earlier.
I agree generally with the line you propose to take,
subject to three comparatively minor comments:
(i) Adrian Swire is of course very familiar with the
affairs of the region, and it is perhaps unnecessary
to spell out the political background in quite
so much detail;
(ii) it would, I think, be advisable to lay rather more
emphasis on the interest that both we and Hong
Kong have in there being an air services agreement
with China;
(iii) while I agree that we cannot give as reassuring
a reply as Cathay Pacific would like, the line
we are taking with the Chinese in the hope
of avdding Taiwanese retaliation does perhaps
justify a rather more optimistic conclusion.
I enclose a revised version of your draft which takes
account of these points. Please make whatever use
of it you think fit.