GR 360
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
DOBY 018830Z PEKING AND HONG KONG
FM FCO 301840Z NOV 78
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 759 OF 30 NOVEMBER İNFO IMMEDIATE HONGKONG
Sex 897
RA
HKK 184/1
RECEIVED HI REGBYRY KO. 51
4 DEC1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
694
REC $.RY
691
YOUR TELNO 862
NO
HONGKONG TELNOS 1374, 1375 AND 1376:
AIR SERVICES
689 688
690
Action Ten
CLE
1 SINCE THE CHINESE MFA HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WISH TO HAVE MORE
TIME FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER THEY WISH TO ACCEPT CONTINUED FLIGHTS
AS SCHEDULED SERVICES, WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD GIVE THEM THE CHANCE
TO RESPOND ON THIS BEFORE YOU ADOPT THE FALL BACK POSITION IN PARA 3 OF MYTEL NO 13513-658)?
2. BUT AS THERE APPEARS TO BE A DIFFERENCE OF VIEW BETWEEN THE MFA AND CAAC IN CANTON AS TO THE NATURE OF THESE FLIGHTS, WE AGREE THAT HONGKONG SHOULD AUTHORISE THEIR CONTINUATION FOR 7 DAYS AS CHARTER
SERVICES: AND AGREE THAT THE MESSAGE IN HONGKONG TELNO 1375 SHOULD BE PASSED TO CAAC IN CANTON, WHEN THIS HAS BEEN DONE YOU SHOULD
INFORM THE MFA OF THE TERMS OF THE MESSAGE AND EXPLAIN THAT THIS
ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN MADE IN ORDER TO AVOID POSSIBLE CONFUSION AND
TO GIVE THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TIME, AS THEY REQUESTED, TO CONSIDER WHETHER THEY WISH TO ACCEPT THE CONTINUATION OF THESE FLIGHTS AS
SCHEDULED SERVICES YOU SHOULD ALSO INDICATE IN WHATEVER WAY SEEMS
MOST TACTFUL AND PRODUCTIVE THAT WE HOPE A RESPONSE WILL BE FORTH- COMING WITHIN THE NEXT 7 DAYS?
3. IN ORDER TO AVOID THE POSSIBLE REPETITION IN A WEEKS TIME OF THE EVENTS OF THE PAST FEW DAYS, WE WISH TO ARRANGE NOW FOR THE POSSIBILIT THAT EVEN AT THEN END OF THE 7 DAY PERIOD THE CHINESE WILL NOT HAVE GIVEN A REPLY ON THE QUESTION OF SCHEDULED SERVICES. AT A SUITABLE MOMENT, BEFORE THE EXPIRY OF THE 7 DAY PERIOD; THEREFORE, YOU SHOULD SAY TO THE MFA THAT OUR OFFER TO TREAT THESE FLIGHTS AS SCHEDULED SERVICES WAS INTENDED TO BE HELPFUL BY REMOVING EVEN THE MİNİMAL.. RESTRICTIONS INVOLVED IN THE CHINESE REQUEST FOR CHARTER FLIGHTS HOWEVER IT APPEARS FROM THEIR DELAY IN REPLYING THAT THE CHINESE HAVE DIFFICULTIES OVER THE PROPOSAL IF THIS IS THE CASE, THE UK AUTHOR- ITIES ARE PREPARED TO LET THE FLIGHTS CONTINUE AS CHARTER FLIGHTS
CONFIDENTIAL
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