CONFIDENTIAL
G7 240
COMIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 100713Z JUL 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 629 OF 10 JULY 79
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
Нек
189454/2
See(208
206
3.51
"RY
FOLLOWING FROM DELEGATION
20 YOUR TELNO 399:
Lou
UK/PRC AIR SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS
1. LU IS NOW SEIZED OF THE NEED TO BRING THESE NEGOTIATIONS
TO A CONCLUSION AND HELD A FURTHER LENGTHY TETE A TETE WITH
ROGERS ON 9 JULY PM TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS COULD BE MADE ON THE
CUTSTANDING ISSUES.
2.
MUCH OF THE TIME WAS AGAIN TAKEN UP BY THE GATWICK PROBLEM. LU AGAIN SAID HE REGARDS THIS AS A STICKING POINT. HE WAS
ATTRACTED BY THE IDEA OF CONSULTATION (SECOND SENTENCE OF PARA 4 OF MY TELNO 626) BUT INSISTED ON AN ASSURANCE (EITHER WRITTEN OR ORAL) THAT IN THE EVENT OF DISAGREEMENT CAAC COULD OPT FOR HEATHROW. ROGERS MADE IT PLAIN THAT HVQCOULD NOT GIVE SUCH AN
ASSURANCE. ON THE OTHER HAND, LU WAS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT
ROGERS' SUGGESTEION THAT THE MATTER SHOULD NOW BE LEFT ON ONE
SIDE.
WHILE WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY, IT THEREFORE SEEMS
UNLIKELY THAT WE SHALL BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH THE LINE IN
- YOUR PARA 5.
3. ROGERS GAVE LU THE DRAFT OF A SIDE LETTER BASED ON THE
CONCEPT THAT PROBLEM OF POSSIBLE JUNCTION OF SERVICES AT
HONG KONG MIGHT ALSO BE DEALT WITH BY CONSULTATION IF AND WHEN
IT APPEARED LIKELY TO BECOME A PROBLEM. LU SEEMED AT FIRST
BLUSH REASONABLY RECEPTIVE TO THIS: BUT BY THIS STAGE IN THE
DI SCUSSION HE WAS OBVIOUSLY FLAGGING AND WE WOULD NOT WANT TO
PIN TOO MUCH HOPE ON HIS INITIAL REACTION.
14.
CONFIDENTIAL