1203
GR 567
CONFIDENTIAL
200
CON. DENTIAL
PM PSKING 09031ØZ JUL 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 626 OF 9 JULY 79
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
FOLLOWING FROM DELEGATION
Нек
McK 184/2.
O JUL 1979
See/205
YOUR TELNO 397: UK/PRC AIR SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS.
1. AT A FURTHER TETE A TETE ON 7 LULY LU REVERTED TO
THE PROBLEM OF GATWICK (PARA 2 OF OUR TELNO 599 AND PARA 5
OF OUR TELNO 610). THIS TOPIC DOMINATED THE DISCUSSION,
2.
LU MADE ALL THE POINTS WHICH ARE SO FAMILIAR FROM NEGOTIATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, IN FAVOUR OF ALLOWING CAAC
TO OPERATE TO HEATHROW. HE STRESSED THE VERY SMALL SCALE OF
CAAC'S OPERATIONS AND CLAIMED THAT SINCE MOST OF THE IMPORTANT
INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS WERE ALLOWED TO USE HEATHROW, CAAC
SHOULD HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY. ROGERS REPLIED ON STANDARD
LINES AND INVITED LU TO EXPERIENCE FOR HIMSELF WHAT IT WAS LIKE
FOR AN ORDINARY PASSENGER TO ARRIVE AT HEATHROW DURING THE
MORNING PEAK. LU ACCEPTED THAT THERE WAS VERY BAD CONGESTION
AT HEATHROW AND SAID IT WAS EVEN ON THE CARDS THAT CAAC MIGHT
THEMSELVES DECIDE TO OPERATE TO GATWICK. BUT THEY MUST BE FREE
TO CHOOSE FOR THEMSELVES. IF THEY COULD NOT HAVE THE OPTION OF USING HEATHROW, HE DID. NOT SEE ANY POSSIBILITY OF CONCLUDING
AN AGREEMENT.
3.
ROGERS EMPHASISED THAT THE EXCLUSION OF NEW CARRIERS
FROM HEATHROW WAS A UNIVERSAL RULE: BUT LU WAS NOT MOVED BY
THIS. HE KNOWS THAT JAPANESE GAVE CAAC SPECIAL TREATMENT IN
DEALING WITH THEIR AIRPORT PROBLEMS, HE STRESSED ONCE AGAIN
THAT DURING THE INTERVAL WHILE WE HAVE BEEN SEEKING A SOLUTION TO THE CPA/TAIWAN PROBLEM, THE CHINESE HAVE ESTABLISHED SERVICES, OR REACHED AGREEMENTS, WITH OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
AND THAT THESE WILL SUFFICE TO CARRY THE WHOLE TRAFFIC BETWEEN
EUROPE AND CHINA. WHATEVER MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE POSITION IN
1973, A SERVICE TO LONDON WILL NOW BE A COMMERCIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
/EMBARRASSMENT
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