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5. BA SAY THEY COULD START OPERATING TO PEKING ANY TIME AFTER
1 NOV ON A ONCE-A-WEEK BASIS WITH B747S BUT IN VIEW OF THE
RESTRICTIONS ON PEKING'S ABILITY TO HANDLE D747S UNTIL EARLY
NEXT YEAR WONDER IF THE QUESTION IS NOT HYPOTHETICAL,
6. PLEASE REMIND THE CHINESE THAT UNDER THE DRITISH
GOVERNMENT'S AIRPORTS POLICY ENUNCIATED BY THE SECRETARY
OF STATE FOR TRADE, MR DELL, IN APRIL 1977, ALL NEW CARRIERS WHICH HAVE STARTED SERVICES INTO LONDON SINCE THEN USE GATWICK. THE AIRPORTS POLICY IS AT PRESENT BEING REVIEVED BY THE PRESENT
BRITISH GOVERNMENT, BUT IT IS QUITE LIKELY THAT THIS ASPECT OF
IT WILL CONTINUE. YOU MIGHT ADD THAT WE ASSUME THAT THIS WILL SUIT CAAC. SINCE THEIR MAINTENANCE IS CARRIED OUT AT GATWICK. IF YOU THINK IT WISE YOU COULD ADD ALSO THAT THE RIGHTS ACCORDED FOR EXAMPLE TO US CARRIERS UNDER BERMUDA 11 ARE SUBJECT TO THE
SAME CAVEAT. WE WOULD PREFER WORDING IN THE C.N.U. OR A SIDE LETTER TO THE EFFECT THAT PARTICULAR LONDON AIRPORT TO BE USED
BY CAAC WILL DEPEND ON THE GOVERNMENTS AIRPORT POLICY AT THE TIME
THE SERVICE IS INAUGURATED BUT IF YOU THOUGHT THIS TOO DIFFICULT
TO GET AT THIS STAGE WE WOULD BE CONTENT WITH A STATEMENT ON
THE RECORD OF HMG'S CURRENT POLICY ALONG THE LINES SET OUT ABOVE.
7. WE HOPE YOU WILL NOW BE ABLE TO CONCLUDE AN AGREEMENT ON
THESE LINES WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.
CARRINGTON
FILE S
MAED
FED
HK & GD
PS
PS/LPS
PS/MR BLAKER
PS/MR RIDLEY
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF MR CORTAZZI MISS BROWN MR MURRAY
COPIES TO CAD/DOT
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