GR 350
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 031825Z NOV 78
TO PRIORITY BANGKOK
CONFIDENTIAL
628
HER 18H/1 RECEIVLO AYY NO. 51
1978
DACK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Takan
TELEGRAM NUMBER 295 OF 3 NOVEMBER
INFO HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND B C ARFE)
YOUR CREDA 114: AIR SERVICES AND AIRPORT EXPANSION PROJECT
1. WARHAM AND RODGER (SIR F SNOW) SAW BRYANT (D 0 T/C AIR) ON 31 OCTOBER. WARHEM HAD BEEN FED BY THE CONSORTIUM'S THAI BUSINESS ASSOCIATE WITH WHOLLY INACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEPTEMBER AIR SERVICES DISCUSSIONS IN LONDON. IT WAS ALLEGED THAT THE U.K. HAD SET THE AGENDA AND THAT THE TALKS DID NOT COVER THE LONDON-BANGKOK ROUTE, WHICH THE THAIS WANTED TO DISCUSS, AND THAT THEY WERE GENERALLY DISSATISFIED THAT THEY COULD NOT GET AN EXTRA SERVICE TO LONDON.
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2. BRYANT SAID THE THAIS HAD ASKED FOR THE TALKS AND, AT THEIR SUGGESTION, THE MAIN SUBJECT WAS THE TRUNK ROUTE. THEY HAD MADE TWO REQUESTS AND WE HAD GIVEN SYMPATHETIC RESPONSE (SEE D O T ALLOT SAVING OF 25 SEPT). THEY DID NOT ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL SERVICE (WHICH WE WOULD NOT IN FACT AGREE TO AT THIS TIME). OUR RELATIONS WITH THEM ARE GOOD AND THEY KNOW THEY CAN APPROACH US AT ANY TIME FOR TALKS, FORMAL OR INFORMAL. DOT SEE.NO GROUND FOR WRITING A LETTER COVERING POINTS IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFER- ENCE AND HAVE SO TOLD THE CONSORTIUM.
3. IT IS ALSO ALLEGED THAT THE FRENCH HAVE OFFERED THE THAIS
A SERVICE BEYOND PARIS TO NEW YORK, BUT THAT THE THAIS WOULD PREFER SUCH A SERVICE TO GO OVER LONDON. WE THINK IT UNLIKELY THAT FRENCH WOULD MAKE THIS OFFER: WE WOULD NOT.
CONFIDENTIAL
/4. EVEN
K