GRS 430
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM KUALA LUMPUR 3832+0Z JUNE
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 168 OF 8 JUNE
де
HKK 184/1
RECEIVED FROMGAW NO. 51
DESK OFSWORD
INDEX
PA
No
RAZ
2604
PRIORITY TO DOT, HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR AND BCARFE)
INFO BANGKOK, SINGAPORESMANILA, JAKARTA, CANBERRA AND WELLINGTON
262
YOUR TELNO 131: UK/MALAYSIA AIR SERVICES TALKS
1. I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN CALLING ON SECRETARY CENERAL MFA
TODAY TO EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT THAT A WIDER MEASURE OF AGREEMENT HAD NOT BEEN REACHED IN THE TALKS. I SAID THAT OUR SIDE HAD APPROACHED THE TALKS WITH CONSIDERABLE GOODWILL TOWARDS MALAYSIA AND THE OFFERS WE HAD MADE IN THE COURSE OF NEGOTIATION HAD NOT
BEEN EASY FOR US. NEVERTHELESS WE HAD TRIED VERY HARD TO BE AS ACCOMMODATING AS POSSIBLE TOWARDS THE MALAYSIAN VIEWPOINT. IT WAS MOST IMPORTANT THAT THE MALAYSIANS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THIS AND THAT THERE REALLY WAS RELATIVELY LITTLE ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE IN THE TECHNICAL SPHERE. I HAD ALSO REMINDED MANICKA OF THIS DURING MR
PARKINSON'S CALL ON HIM, IF AGREEMENT WAS TO BE REACHED IT WOULD
HAVE TO BE ON A REALISTIC BASIS.
2. I SAID THAT DESPITE THE DISAPPOINTMENT THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF
THE AGREED MINUTE PROVIDED SOMETHING ON WHICH TO BUILD. HE HAD NOT SEEN IT BUT WHEN I READ IT TO HIM HE AGREED. I GAID THAT,
THOUGH WE HAD MADE VIRTUALLY ALL THE CONCESSIONG WE COULD, IT
SHOULD SURELY BE POSSIBLE TO REACH A SOLUTION IF MINISTERS ON
BOTH SIDES HAD THE POLITICALFLILL, WHICH I BELIEVED THEY HAD,
AND URGED OFFICIALS TO HAVE ANOTHER GO AT REACHING A FIRM
CONCLUSION ON A FAIR AND REALISTIC BASIS. THE ATMOSPHERE OF FR PARKINSON'S TALKS WITH MANICKA AND OTHER MINISTERS HAD BEEN
VERY ENCOURAGING AND, SPEAKING PERSONALLY, I SUGGESTED THAT THE AIM NIGHT NOW BE TO HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF TALKS LEADING TO SIGNATURE OF AN AGREEMENT BY MINISTERS ON BOTH SIDES TO PUT THE POLITICAL SEAL ON IT. SUCH A STEP WOULD BE HELPFUL CENERALLY TO ANGLO-MALAYSIAN RELATIONS. I SAID THAT MR PARKINSON HAD AGREED TO TAKE A PERSONAL INTEREST IN THESE CIVIL AVIATION PROBLEMS AND
ZAKARIA EXPRESSED SATISFACTION.
CONFIDENTIAL
/3. NOT