GR 429
CONFIDENTIAL
HER 184/.
DESK
-7 SEP 1979
397
CRFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 061115Z SEP
INDEX
TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER
1243 OF 6 SEPTEMBER, 1979.
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, DEPT OF TRADE (CAIR) AND OTTAWA (FOR ICAO)
CAAC NOTAM 19 AND AMBER 1:
See
400) (401
405
1. NOTAM 19 ISSUED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CIVIL AVIATION
OF CHINA (CAAC) ON 23 JULY DECLARED 4 DANGER AREAS AROUND HAINAN ISLAND WHICH ARE TO COME INTO EFFECT ON 23 OCTOBER (SEE SULLIVAN'S
LETTER 181/548/1 OF 14 AUGUST TO ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER - NOT TO ALL).
2. THE EFFECT WILL BE TO CLOSE THE AMBER 1 AIRWAY BETWEEN HONG KONG AND BANGKOK (USED BY ALL SCHEDULED AIRLINES EXCEPT CHINA AIRLINES.) HOWEVER, IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THIS IS THE PRIMARY CHINESE INTENTION. ONLY ONE OF THE AREAS - D 2 - CUTS ACROSS THE CENTRE OF AMBER 1: D 3 AND D 1 CUT INTO THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE ROUTE (THE AIRWAY IS 50 MILES WIDE); D 4 LIES JUST TO THE EAST, BUT DOES NOT LEAVE SUFFICIENT ROOM FOR A NEW ROUTE FURTHER EAST BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY OF THE PARACEL ISLANDS AND AIRWAY RED 95. FURTHERMORE, VIETNAMS EARNINGS IS ABOUT U.S.
DOLLARS 3.5 MILLION PER YEAR ARE PROBABLY NOT AT RISK SINCE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR HER TO OPEN A NEW ROUTE FURTHER SOUTH WHICH WOULD BE ENOUGH SHORTER THAN RED 85 (WHICH AVOIDS VIETNAM) FOR AIRLINES TO BE WILLING TO PAY FOR OVERFLYING RIGHTS. IT THEREFORE SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT THE DANGER ZONES MAY HAVE BEEN DECIDED ON MILITARY RATHER THAN POLITICAL GROUNDS: AND WITHOUT ANY REAL CONSIDERATION OF THE EFFECT ON TRAFFIC TO HONG KONG.
3. UNLESS YOU OR PEKING SEE OBJECTION, GRATEFUL IF PEKING WOULD
TELL CAAC THAT WE HOPE THE DANGER AREAS CAN BE MODIFIED TO LEAVE AMBER 1 OPEN WITH THE MINIMUM POSSIBLE RE-ALIGNMENT (PREFERABLY NONE), THE CHINESE RESPONSE SHOULD PUT US IN A BETTER POSITION TO
CONSIDER WHETHER AND HOW TO PURSUE MATTERS FURTHER (E.G. IN ICAO).
CONFIDENTIAL
$4.
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