24
CONFIDENTIAL
4554 - 1
PA HKK 1844/2551
No Jus f Seen (1751
GRS 197
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 0317252 MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 249 OF 3 MAY
AND TO PEKING
YOUR TELNOS 490 AND 511: UK/PRC AIR SERVICES
1. WE SHALL OF COURSE PURSUE WITH VIGOUR THE QUESTION OF REGIONAL ROUTES FROM HONG KONG. OMISSION OF CPA REPRESENTATIVE IN OUR
TELEGRAM NO 237 TO PEKING WAS HOWEVER DELIBERATE. AS YOU ARE
AWARE THE QUESTION OF WHICH BRITISH AIRLINE OR AIRLINES ARE TO
HAVE THE REGIONAL ROUTES REMAINS VERY MUCH OPEN AND THE SUBJECT
OF CURRENT DISCUSSION. WE ARE THEREFORE INCLINED TO THINK THAT IT
WOULD BE BEST NOT TO HAVE CPA OR JARDINES FOR THAT MATTER ON
THE DELEGATION. MOREOVER WE ARE MINDFUL OF YOUR EARLIER CONCERN
ABOUT THE POSSIBLE RISK OF RETALIATION AGAINST CPA BY TAIWAN.
GRATEFUL HOWEVER FOR YOUR CONSIDERED VIEWS.
2. FOR PEKING. WE HAD ALSO FELT SOME CONCERN THAT THE INCLUSION OF CPA AS AN AIRLINE SERVING TAIPEH, ON THE DELEGATION ITSELF
MIGHT BE UNWELCOME TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN SPITE OF THE
GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN CPA AND CAAC. CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD OF
COURSE ASK FOR CPA REPRESENTATIVE TO BE OMITTED IF WE SUGGESTED HIS INCLUSION, BUT WE WOULD NOT WANT TO START THINGS OFF WITH A CHINESE VETO ON THIS POINT. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.
OWEN
FILES
MAED FED HKCD
MR CERTAZZI. MISS BROWN
MR MURRAY
[COPIES SENT TO CAD [DOT]
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
1
CONFIDENTIAL