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HILK 184/1
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GRS 200A
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM FCO 021605Z NOV 79
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
5 NOV 1979
TELEGRAM NUMBER 657 OF 2 NOVEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR AND BCARFE)
AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT
See (486
THIS AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED AT 10 DOWNING STREET ON 1 NOVEMBER BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND VICE-PREMIER YU QIULI, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND PREMIER HUA. THE CHINESE MADE IT CLEAR THAT CAAC WAS PREPARED TO OPERATE TO
GATWICK.
2. IN THE COURSE OF A BRIEF DISCUSSION DURING THE SECOND PLENARY SESSION, THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE GAVE ASSURANCES THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO BUILD UP GATWICK AS A MODERN AIRPORT, AND THAT IF AT ANY TIME HEATHROW WERE TO BE OPENED TO NEW AIRLINES CAAC WOULD BE GIVEN QUOTE PRIORITY UNQUOTE.
IN A PRIVATE EXCHANGE SUBSEQUENTLY, MR NOTT ASSURED ZHANG WENJIN THAT IT WAS OUR FIRM INTENTION TO CONTINUE TO EXCLUDE NEW ·
AIRLINES FROM HEATHROW.
3. THE ARRANGED WRITTEN PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION AND ANW
THE AIR LINK BETWEEN HONG KONG AND TAIWAN WAS TABLED LAST NIGHT AND WILL BE ANSWERED TODAY (2 NOVEMBER). THE TEXTS ARE IN MIFT.
4. SIDE LETTERS COVERING ASSURANCES GIVEN BY HMG ON THE STATUS OF CHINA AIRLINES, ARE BEING EXCHANGD THIS AFTERNOON
CARRINGTON
FILES
MAED
[COPIES SENT TO CAD / DOT]
FED
HKJGD
LEGAL ADV
NTD
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PSILPS
PS MR BLAKER PSIPUS
SIR. J. GRAHAM MRCORTAZZI MISS BROWN MR MURRA
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CONFIDENTIAL