نا
GR 335
CONFIDENTI
HKK 184/2
CONFI DENLIAL..
KAIVA
-'51EY NO.
2 3 FEB 1979
ARK OF GER INDEX
PA
• RE
No
FM HONG KONG 220953Z|FEB 79.
23.2
Done
1/1/23/2
10
HKG D
Please exowie
I am
hat I
That
the distribution for
tels
TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO,314 OF 22 FEBRUARY,
INFO PRIORITY PEKING.
YOUR TELNO.179 TO PEKING : U.K/CHINA AIR SERVICES.
like this
23/ir
1. LIN BAOLING OF JARDINES AIRWAYS DEPARTMENT TELEPHONED D.C.A HONG KONG EARLY THIS MORNING ON RETURN FROM CANTON WHERE HE WAS SUMMONED AT VERY SHORT NOTICE THE PREVIOUS DAY. LIN SAID THAT WHILST IN CANTON HE HAD DISCUSSED WITH THE CANTON BRANCH OF CAAC THE IMPENDING CESSATION OF THE OPERATING PERMIT FOR SCHEDULED SERVICES BETWEEN CANTON AND HONG KONG.
HE REPORTED THAT CAAC PERING HAD TOLD CANTON THAT SERVICES WOULD HAVE TO CEASE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH BECAUSE IT WAS
QUITE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE AUTHORITIES IN PEKING TO ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BRITISH IN THE NEAR FUTURE. CAAC ATTRIBUTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WHICH THEY SAID
WAS EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY: THEY VERY MUCH REGRETTED THE PROBABLE CESSATION OF SERVICES AND DID NOT KNOW HOW THIS MATTER WOULD BEST BE EXPLAINED TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THEY SAW NO ALTERNATIVE.
3. LIN THEN WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE CANTON AUTHORITIES WERE VERY RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT THE NECESSITY FOR CESSATION OF SERVICES.. THEY HAD ASKED HIM TO EXPLORE WITH THE D.C.A THE POSSIBILITY THAT A DAILY SERVICE COULD CONTINUE BY REVERTING TO THE ADVANCE BOOXING CHARTER PRINCIPLE, AT LEAST UNTIL EARLY APRIL WHEN THEY WOULD HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MOUNT SPECIAL EVENT CHARTERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE CANTON TRADE FAIR WHICH STARTS OFFICIALLY ON 15 APRIL.
CONFIDENTIAL
14. WE ASSUME THIS