J
CONFIDEN MAL
URISM EARNINGS OF ALL ASEAN COUNTRIES, PROVIDED THIS COULD DE ACHIEVED WITHOUT DESTROYING THE FINELY BALANCED ECONOMICS OF THE NEW FARES ON THE TRUNK ROUTE. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THERE WAS NO SIMPLE SOLUTION AND THAT THE PRINCIPAL DIFFICULTIES AROSE FROM THE DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES AND INTERESTS OF THE ASEAN COUNTRIES THEMSELVES. BRITISH AIRWAYS AND QANTAS WERE SET THE TASK OF EXAMINING THE ECONOMICS OF THE VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES AND THIS TOPIC IS TO BE FURTHER DISCUSSED
#
TOMORROW IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR WORK.
8.
ROWLAND SAID THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAD NOT AS YET MADE ANY FURTHER APPROACH TO THE ASEAN COUNTRIES SINCE THEY WISHED TO LEAVE THEM TIME FOR REFLECTION AND TO HAVE
THEY INTENDED, HOWEVER, THE BENEFIT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH US.
TO SEND THE SINGAPOREAN GOVERNMENT IN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT DAY OR TWO A FORMAL REQUEST FOR CONSULTATIONS ON THE CAPACITY TO BE MOUNTED BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND AUSTRALIA WHEN THE QANTAS/SIA AGREEMENT EXPIRES ON 16 MAY.
9. IN RESPONSE TO NUMEROUS PRESS ENQUIRIES ROGERS HAS EMPHASISED OUR WILLINGNESS TO MEET REASONABLE CONCERNS OF THE ASEAN COUNTRIES, THIS HAS BEEN REFLECTED TO SOME EXTENT IN MORE
SOBER REPORTING OF THIS ISSUE. IN MOST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS
ALTHOUGH THE'' AUSTRALIAN CONTINUES ITS CAMPAIGN AGAINST
MR NIXON.
10.
SEE MIFT.
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MR
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MISS BROWN
MR MURRAY
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DEPT
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TRANSAPORT
3
CONFIDENTIAL
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