133
GRS 296
DESKBY 14123AZ
CONFIDENTIAL
FM CANBERRA 1439007 DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
'CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 649 OF 14 DECEMBER
HKK 18411
NO.
RECEIVED IN REGISTY NO 51
15 DEC 198
DEX OFFICE!
INDEX
No
INFO SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK, MAN (GOV AND BCARFE)
MY TELNO 646: UK AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES.
REGISTRY
Acton Taken
1346
AMMERTA AND HONG KONG
see (135
1. HALTON HAS REPLIED
QUOTE
ON THE BASIS THAT AGREEMENT ON CONCORDE WOULD FACILITATE THE MINISTER MAKING A STATEMENT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AUSTRALIA WOULD NOT OBJECT IN PRINCIPLE TO THE GRANTING OF FIFTH FI EEDOM RIGHTS FOR A CONCORDE SERVICE BETWEEN LONDON AND MELBOURNE. WE WOULD WISH TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THE POINTS AT WHICH IT IS PROPOSED THAT FULL TRAFFIC RIGHTS BE EXERCISED. IN ADDITION, AUSTRALIA WOULD OF COURSE WISH TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED SUPERSONIC CAPACITY ON SUB-SONIC SERVICES.
THE MINISTER AGREES THAT HE WOULD NOT NEED TO INCLUDE IN HIS
STATEMENT ANY REFERENCES TO SERVICES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND AUSTRALIA
AND THAT THESE SERVICES AND CHARTERS CAN BE DISCUSSED FURTHER
BETWEEN ROGERS AND ROWLAND EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR....... UNQUOTE
2. AS REQUESTED DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT HAVE DE AFTED A STATEMENT
SETTING OUT THE MINIMUM ANNOUNCEMENT MR NIXON WOULD WISH TO MAKE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. MR NIXON HAS APPROVED DRAFT. TEXT IN MÏFT.
3. HALTON STRESSED TO ME AGAIN THIS EVENING THE GREAT IMPORTANCE HIS
MINISTER AND THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE ATTACH TO THE
PROPOSALS AND I THEREFORE HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LET ME HAVE YOUR COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ANNOUNCEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
TEBBIT
FILES
MAED
SEAD
SWPD
[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]
COPIES TO MR ROGERS
CAIR DOT
HK & GD
SAD
MR CORIAZZI MISS. FROWN MR BUTLER MR MURRAY
CONFIDENTIAL'
i