435
CONFIDENTIAL
A STATEMENT ON THE LINES 'IT IS IMPLICIT IN THE STATEMENT BY
HMG IN THE JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON THE EXCHANGE OF AMBASSADORS THAT
CAL IS NOT IN HMG'S VIEW A NATIONAL AIRLINE (OR THE CHINESE NATIONAL AIRLINE) AND THAT ANY INSIGNIA ON CAL PLANES ARE NOT (THE CHINESE) NATIONAL INSIGNIA''.
4. THE USE OF THE PASSAGE IN BRACKETS WOULD BRING THE STATEMENT CLOSER TO THE LITERAL TRUTH, BUT THE BROADER STATEMENT WOULD BE MORE POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLE. WE COULD AIM TO GIVE ANY STATEMENT
IN A WRITTEN PQ, WHICH IS I BELIEVE A NORMAL PROCEDURE IN SUCH
MATTERS.
+
5. WE SHOULD CERTAINLY TRY TO AVOID SAYING ANYTHING ON THE
REST OF SUNG'S POINTS, WHICH REPRESENT A RETREAT ON HIS PART FROM HIS EARLIER REMARKS (MY TELNO.452). THERE IS A CASE FOR
TRYING TO LAUGH SOME OF THEM OUT OF COURT ON THE ANALOGY THAT WE DO NOT DEMAND ANY FIRM REGISTERED ABROAD BUT CONTAINING BRITISH
IN ITS TITLE TO GIVE A DISCLAIMER OF NATIONALITY,
ć, 1 UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CONFLICTING VIEWS ON WHETHER WE SHOULD RE-OPEN OTHER ASPECTS OF THE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT, PARTICULARLY THE ISSUE OF ROUTES AS DESCRIBED IN ANNEX 1; WHEREBY THE PEKING/HONG KONG SECTOR IS BLINDED FOR DA, WHILE THE QUESTION OF INTERMEDIATE POINTS IS NOT DETERMINED FOR CAAC. WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING DETAILS SEMICOLON BUT UNLESS THE CHINESE HAVE NEW POINTS TO RAISE ALSO, MY INITIAL ADVICE WOULD
BE TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE SEEKING AMENDMENTS.
CRADOCK
FILES:
FED
FKGD
COPIES TO:
MR BRYANT
CAIR/DOT
MAED
FR CORTAZZI
HR MURRAY
MISS BROWN
-2- CONFIDENTIAL
A