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AND (B) REGIONAL FLIGHTS WHICH ORIGINATE IN HONG KONG WITH
DESTINATIONS ONLY IN CHINA AND VICE VERSA. THERE COULD THEN BE
EITHER A SPECIFIC REFERENCE IN THE A.S. A TO SEPARATE ARRANGEMENTS
FOR ''REGIONAL FLIGHTS, OR (PROBABLY BETTER) A SIDE LETTER WITH
NO SPECIFIC MENTION IN THE A.S.A.
''
4. REGIONAL FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA WILL BE USED
MOSTLY FOR TOURISM. NEEDS ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE FREQUENTLY AND
OFTEN, GIVEN CHINESE PRACTICE IN SUCH MATTERS, WITH LITTLE WARNING,
THE LAST TIME THE CHINESE WISHED TO RUN AN EXTRA SERVICE ON THE
CANTON ROUTE, IT BECAME CLEAR HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET A
DECISION SUFFICIENTLY QUICKLY WHEN MINOR MATERS HAVE TO BE
REFERRED TO LONDON (MY TELNOS.134, 161 AND 171).
5. WE NEED A SIMPLER AND MORE FLEXIBLE SYSTEM. I SUGGEST THAT, FOLLOWING AGREEMENT AT THE LONDON/PEKING LEVEL ON THE GENERAL
FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA (INCLUDING PROVISIONS FOR RECIPROCITY), D.O.T SHOULD ISSUE A
PERMIT WHICH WOULD SIMPLY NAME THE CITIES INVOLVED AND STIPULATE,
THAT THE DETAILS OF SERVICES ARE TO BE AGREED WITH AND APPROVED
BY D.C.A HONG KONG. THIS WOULD IN EFFECT BE SIMILAR TO THE SYSTEM
WE OPERATE AT PRESENT IN RELATION TO TAIWAN, ALTHOUGH IN THAT CASE
THE DETAILS ARE HANDLED BETWEEN AIRLINES.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
FED NAM D
HK & GD
MAED
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
MISS BROWN
[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]
2
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON
J