GRS 310
RESTRICTED
FM BANGKOK 10753Z
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 437 OF 10NOV
INFO HONGKONG(GOVYNOR AND BCARFE)
INFO PEKING
RESTRICTED
H
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__AKK 184/1
INDEX
OFFIC
Notac
(638
NO. 51 1078
YOUR TELNO 300 THAILAND/CHINA AIR SERVICES
1. AS REPORTED IN OUR TELNO 433, THE THAIS HAVE APPARENTLY AGREED TO CHINESE REQUESTS FOR OVERFLIGHT RIGHTS EN ROUTE TO PHNOM PENH, BUT HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT YET READY TO FLY TO PEKİNG.
2. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS A CHINESE NEGOTIATING TEAM IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN BANGKOK ON TWO OR THREE WEEKS TIME TO DISCUSS AIR SERVICES, TENG IS SAID TO HAVE BROUGHT UP THIS SUBJECT HIMSELF DURING TALKS WITH KRIANGSAK AND TO HAVE PRESSED THE THAIS TO BEGIN
FLIGHTS TO PEKING. KRIANGSAK IS SAID TO HAVE REPLIED THAT
THAILAND DOES NOT YET HAVE ENOUGH EQUIPMENT OR PERSONNELJB THE
THAI GOVEDIMENT IS SAID TOBE READY TOCONSIDER REQUESTS FROM
OTHER AIRLINES, SUCH AS SWISS AIR AND AIR FRANCE, TO STOP-OVER IN BANGKOK ON THE WAY TO PEKING.
3. THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNUCATIONS PRASIT NARONGDEJ, TOLD THE PRESS THAT TAIWAN HAD IMPOSED THREE CONDITIONS ON THAILAND FOR CONTINUING TO FLY THERE, WHILE SERVING PEKING AT THE SAME TIME. THEY WERE THAT THE THAIS SHOULD NOT USE THE SAME AIRLINE OR THE SAME CREWS TOSERVE BOTH POINTS AND SHOULD NOT DISRUPT THE EXISTING SCHEDULES FOR FLIGHTS TO TAIWAN. AN EARLIER PRESS REPORT HAD SAID THAT THE CABINET HAD TURNED DOWN A PROPOSAL BY THE
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS TO BEGIN FLIGHTS TO PEKING
BECAUSE THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS ON THI
LUCRATIVE SERVICE TO TAIWAN.
4.
203 OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE. WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT THIS WEEK. WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO REPORT ON THE CURRENT
STATE OF NEGOTIATIONS EARLY NEXT WEEK.
TRIPP
FILES
FED.
HKIGD MAED MR CORTAZZI
4
RESTRICTED.
COPIES TO CAIRDIUN DOT