33
CPS 423
RESTRICTED
AKK 184/
-PA
343
RESTRICTED
FM KUALA LUMPUR 260410Z JULY 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 279 OF 26 JULY
See 1558
INFO PRIORITY BCARFE AND GOV HONG KONG JAKARTA SINGAPORE
BANGKOK MANILA CANBERRA WELLINGTON
MY TEL NO 267: AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT/CONCORDE
1. TAN SRI MANICKAVASAGAM TELEPHONED PERSONALLY YESTERDAY TO SAY
THAT DISCUSSIONS IN CABINET ON THE ASA HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THAT HE HAD BRIEFED THE PRIME MINISTER, WHO WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS. HE WILL BE WRITING TO MR NOTT TO CONFIRM
THE UNDERSTANDINGS REACHED IN LONDON.
ΤΑΪΡΕΙ
2. HE SAID THE PRESS WERE QUOTE HOUNDING UNQUOTE HIM AND THAT HE
PROPOSED TO RELEASE A FEW MORE DETAILS OF THE UNDERSTANDINGS
REACHED DURING THE VISIT. TODAY'S PRESS REPORT HIS ANNOUNCEMENT
THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD APPROVED THE UNDERSTANDINGS AND THAT MAS
WOULD OPERATE TWO ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS TO LONDON BY NEXT APRIL.
THEY REPORT THAT HE HAD INFORMED MR NOTT THAT MALAYSIA WAS
LOOKING FORWARD TO DAILY SERVICES TO LONDON BY THE MID-1980S.
HE WAS ALSO REPORTED AS SAYING THAT UNDERSTANDING HAD BEEN REACHED ON THE USE OF MAS AIR BUSES ON THE ORIENT ROUTE : HONG KONG, TAIPEI AND TOKYO. HE SAID BRITISH OFFICIALS WOULD BE COMING TO MALAYSIA
AFTER THE FASTING MONTH TO SIGN AN OFFICIAL CMU. EXPRESSING
SATISFACTION OVER THE OUTCOME HE SAID THAT THE BRITISH HAD
BEEN QUOTE QUITE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEED FOR AN ORDERLY GROWTH OF
THE AIRLINES OF BOTH COUNTRIES UNQUOTE. THE UNDERSTANDING
WAS BASED NOT ONLY ON AIR SERVICES BUT ALSO TOOK INTO ACCOUNT QUOTE THE LONG-STANDING TRADE CONNECTIONS AND POLITICAL TIES THAT EXIST BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES UNQUOTE.
3. ON CONCORDE, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO EXTEND THE TRIAL PERIOD FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS BEFORE HE WENT TO LONDON. DURING THE PAST SIX MONTHS THERE HAD BEEN A FEW COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC BUT THERE WAS NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL, ASKED HOW SOON HE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A DEFINTE JUDGEMENT ON CONCORDE FLIGHTS, HE SAID
RESTRICTED
/ IT WOULD