CONFIDENTIAL
HKK18H1
GPS 540
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 190950Z DEC 79
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 251 OF 19 DECEMBER
INFO HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON FCO.
ENDIX
RA
YOUR TELNO 92: CPA APPLICATION FOR NON SCHEDULED FLIGHTS HKG/SHA V.V.
BOTH WE AND CPA ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN OBTAINING APPROVAL FOR CPA'S THREE CHARTER FLIGHTS.
THE
2. YOUR PARA 2: REGRETTABLY SWIRE TRAVEL'S EARLY ADVERTISEMENTS FOR CPA'S THREE FLIGHTS DID NOT INCLUDE ANY INDICATION THAT FLIGHTS WERE SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT APPROVAL. (UNDERSTANDABLY MFA WOULD NOT DISTINGUISH SWIRE TRAVEL FROM CPA AS BOTH ARE IN EFFECT CONTROLLED BY THE SWIRE GROUP). CAAC HAS ON ONE OCCASION (30 NOV 1978) ADVERTISED SERVICES IN ADVANCE WITHOUT ANY QUALIFICATION ABOUT APPROVAL, WHICH WAS GIVEN THE FOLLOWING DAY. (OUR TELNO 1379 OF 1 DEC 1978 TO FCO). GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OBTAINING THEN, WE SUGGEST THIS DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY REAL
AMMUNITION FOR YOU TO USE.
3. YOUR PARA 3: EVEN NINE DAYS IS LONGER THAN THE TIME NORMALLY
TAKEN BY OUR DCA TO GIVE AN ANSWER ON CAAC'S CHARTER
APPLICATIONS, MANY OF WHICH ARE FINALISED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF
RECEIPT.
4. YOUR PARA 4: THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING. CPA DO NOT RECALL MENTIONING THAT CAAC'S SHANGHAI/HONG KONG CHARTER
APPLICATION WAS BEING HELP UP HERE. THEY SAY THEY EXPLAINED ONLY THAT CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE HERE WERE DELAYING APPROVAL OF THEIR (CPA'S) APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION FOR THEIR TECHNICAL TEAM'S ESSENTIAL PRELIMINARY VISIT TO SHANGHAI ON 17 DECEMBER, AND OF THE TEAM MEMBERS' VISA APPLICATIONS, PENDING RECEIPT BY CTS FROM CAAC
PEKING OF CONFIRMATION THAT CAAC HAD AUTHORISED CPA'S CHARTER
FLIGHTS. CPA HAVE BEEN REMINDED OF THE NEED FOR DISCRETION WHEN
COMMUNICATING WITH YOU BY TELEPHONE.
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CONFIDENTIAL
/5.YOU MAY