CRS 453
CONFIDENTIAL
FM CANBERRA 260633Z JAN 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 68 OF 26 JANUARY
INFO IMMEDIATE (ALL DESKBYS 260730Z)
JAKARTA MANILA KUALA LUMPUR BCARFE)
INFO ROUTINE WELLINGTON
HKF 184/1
No Jxl
SINGAPORE
DIA
HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND
19
мірт
FOLLOWING IS TEXT
EXCELLENCY,
AS PRESENT CHAIRMAN OF THE ASEAN STANDING COMMITTEE I HAVE BEEN REQUESTED BY MY ASEAN COLLEAGUES TO EXPRESS TO YOUR EXCELLENCY ON BEHALF OF ASEAN OUR CONCERN ABOUT THE RECENT NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN ASEAN-AUSTRALIAN RELATIONS.
ASEAN AND AUSTRALIA HAVE ALWAYS HAD GOOD ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RELATIONS. BUT THESE SEEM TO BE NOW IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY AS A RESULT OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE EVENHBEQUESTION OF THE BRITISH-AUSTRALIAN CHEAP FARES SCHEME,
EVEN BEFORE THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED AUSTRALIAN-ASEAN AIRTALKS OPENED IN CANBERRA ON THE 8TH JANUARY 1979 THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PREMATURELY ANNOUNCED THAT THE CHEAP AIRFARES SCHEME WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY FEBRUARY1, 1979. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS TANTAMOUNT TO A 'FAIT ACCOMPLI', THE ASE AN
COUNTRIES NEVERTHELESS OVERLOOKED THIS BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY
WERE NEGOTIATING WITH A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOUR.
AS IT TURNED OUT, THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE CONCLUDED COMPLETELY IN AUSTRALIA'S FAVOUR AND WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT CONCESSION TO JUSTIFY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S ASSURANCES THAT
ASEAN'S AVIATION ANDTOURIST INTERESTS WOULD BE SAFEGUARDED.
CONFIDENTIAL
/IT WOULD