180
CONFIDENTIAL
FM F C O 031726Z APR 79
TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA
TELNO 122 OF 3 APRIL
192
CONFIDENTIAL
HICK 184/1
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BAY
n Taken
No 1 ft.u
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (GOV AND BCARFE)
CANBERRA TELNOS 188 AND 189, AND HONG KONG TEL 434:
UK/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES.
1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE STRONG PRESSURES IN HONG
KONG FOR AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE HONG KONG AUSTRALIA
FARES PACKAGE. PLEASE ASK HALTON FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE
EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT. SINCE IT CANNOT BE
TAKEN FOR GRANTED THAT WHEN THE AUSTRALIANS ACTUALLY COME TO
DISCUSS THE ASEAN-AUSTRALIA FARES WITH THE ASEAN NATIONS
INDIVIDUALLY THEY WILL NECESSARILY REACH AGREEMENT TO FARES AS
LOW AS THOSE PROPOSED IN JAKARTA WE WOULD SETTLE FOR AN
ANNOUNCEMENT ON APEX ALONE, IF THAT WOULD FACILITATE AN EARLIER
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
2. FOR HONG KONG. WE DISLIKE THE IDEA OF TOTALLY WAIVING THE
ADVANCED BOOKING REQUIREMENT IN THE FIRST MONTH. WE COULD
CONSIDER A REDUCTION IN THE PERIOD OF ADVANCED BOOKING, BUT TO
REMOVE THE ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIREMENT ALTOGETHER COULD JEOPARDISE
NORMAL ECONOMY BOOKINGS.
OWEN.
FILES
MAED
SPD
COPIES TO:
CAP DOT
SEAD
HK & GD
MR. CORTAZZI
MISS BROWN
MR.MURRAY
CONFIDENTIAL