GRS 441
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR
FM FCO 051744Z JUNE 79
TELEGRAM NUMBER 131 OF 5TH JUNE
HKK 184/1 262
RECEIVED A
DESK C
INDEX
No
разны
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR AND ECARFE) ROUTINE BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, MANILA, JAKARTA, CANBERRA AND WELLINGTON.
259
261
CUR TELNOS 125 AND 129: UK/MALAYSIA AIR SERVICES.
1. THE TEXT OF AN AGREED MINUTE SUMMARISING THE LATEST ROUND OF
TALKS WAS SETTLED THIS MORNING. THE TEXT IS IN MIFT: COPIES OF
THE VARIOUS ANNEXES REFERRED TO IN THE TEXT ARE BEING BROUGHT
TO YOU BY JOY.
2. IT WAS AT MALAYSIAN INSISTENCE THAT THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF THE
AGREED MINUTE IS SO VAGUE. WE WANTED IT TO REFER TO A FURTHER
ROUND OF DISCUSSIONS AT THE END OF JULY OR BEGINNING OF AUGUST,
AND COT THE IMPRESSION YESTERDAY THAT THIS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE. THIS MORNING, HOWEVER, THE MALAYSIANS REFUSED TO HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DATES WRITTEN INTO THE AGREED MINUTE. THEY PREFERRED TO LEAVE
THE ARRANGEMENTS FLEXIBLE, SUGGESTING THAT PERHAPS IT MIGHT BE
POSSIBLE TO RESUME DISCUSSIONS SOONER THAN THE END OF JULY,
ROBERTS EXPLAINED THAT BECAUSE OF COMMITMENTS RELATING TO AIR
SERVICE TALKS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND LEAVE ARRANGEMENTS HE
WOULD NOT BE AVAIALABLE DEFORE END-JULY.
3. WE SUSPECT THAT THE MALAYSIANS MAY HAVE PLANS IN MIND WHICH
THEY ARE NOT PREPARED TO DISCLOSE, EG REPRESENTATIONS AT
MINISTERIAL LEVEL OR A THREAT TO CONCORDE. BUT IN ANY CASE WE MUST
AVOID BEING DRAWN PREMATURELY INTO A FIRM COMMITMENT TO THE
CONCESSIONS FLOATED PROVISIONALLY (AND SUBJECT TO REFERENCE TO MINISTERS) IN THE LATER STAGES OF THE CURRENT ROUND OF TALKS,
WHICH THE MALAYSIANS WOULD THEN USE AS THE STARTING POINT FOR EXTRACTING FURTHER CONCESSIONS FROM US IN THE NEXT ROUND.
4.. WE SHOULD THEREFORE BE CRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONTİQUE, AS OPPORTUNITY OFFERS, TO TAKE THE LINE IN PARA OF OUR TELNO 125.
?
YOU SHOULD SAY THAT THE FURTHER CONCESSIONS WHICH WE PUT FORWARD FROVISIONALLY (EG A FOURTH DC10 ON THE TRUNK ROUTE FROM 1,10.60
SUBJECT TO QANTAS LEAVING THE ROUTE, THE TWO HAS SERVICES A-
CONFIDENTIAL
/WEEK