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AFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM KUALA LUMPUR 048400 Z MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 130 OF 4 MAY
Hkk 184/1
Free W
INDEX
· 8 MAY 197
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INFO CANBERRA AND SINGAPORE
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 92: ASEAN-AUSTRALIA AVIATION TALKS
1. ACCORDING TO CONTACT IN AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION WHO
ATTRIBUTES RUMOURS TO STORY PLANTED IN SINGAPORE PRESS
THIS IS UNTRUE. AT PRESENT SLOW BUT SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS HAS BEEN
MADE. ON 2 MAY THE AUSTRALIANS PRESENTED THREE PAPERS TO THE ASEAN
GROUP AND ASEAN IN TURN PRESENTED A MEMORANDUM OF SOME 35 PAGES
TO THE AUSTRALIANS. THIS WAS CONSIDERED OVERNIGHT BY THE WORKING'
PARTIES AND ON THURSDAY 3 MAY BOTH PARTIES GAVE THEIR COMMENTS ON THE PAPERS PRESENTED PREVIOUSLY. THERE WERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ASEAN AND AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS AND AN EXPERT WORKING
GROUP WAS SET UP ON BOTH SIDES DEALING WITH STATISTICAL MATTERS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME THE AIRLINES HAVE HAD FACE TO FACE TALKS
CONCERNING THE VARIOUS DIFFERENCES AND BOTH PARTIES CONSIDERED
THAT A PROMISING START HAD BEEN MADE.
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2. TODAY THE ASEAN EXPERT WORKING GROUP MET AT 9.30 (LOCAL TIME) AND THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERT GROUP ARE ON STAND-BY. IT IS EXPECTED THAT IF THE EXPERT WORKING GROUPS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL COMMENT THEN A PLENARY SESSION WILL BE CALLED LATER IN THE DAY.
IF PROGRESS IS MADE AT THE PLENARY SESSION THE EXPERTS WILL
RECONVENE TO CONTINUE THE NEGOTIATIONS.
3. AT THE PRESENT RATE OF PROGRESS IT IS THOUGHT THAT TALKS MAY
CONTINUE UNTIL TUESDAY 8 MAY.
HAWLEY
FILES
MAED
SPD
IK & GD
SEAD
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY MISS BROWN
CONFIDENTI AL