CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 460
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 293900Z FCO
DESKBY 293750Z HONG KONG
FM PEKING 290355Z MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 422 OF 29 MAY
AND TO HONG KONG
FOLLOWING FROM DELEGATION
PA
Hkk 184/2 /==/ = -51
IN
ما
YNC
3 0 MAY 1979
OFFICER
PA
2.6
131
REGISTRY Action Taken
Soe (132) 133 134
135
20
YOUR TELNO 367 AND HONG KONG TELNO 638: UK/PRC AIR SERVICES
NEGOTIATIONS
1. AT A FURTHER LENGTHY TETE A TETE BETWEEN ROGERS AND LU ON
FRIDAY 25 MAY, LITTLE FURTHER PROGRESS WAS MADE. THE ONLY ADVANCE
FROM LU'S PREVIOUS POSITION WAS THAT HE WAS PREPARED TO CONCEDE
THAT
2.
(A) THERE SHOULD BE A REVIEW (PARA OF YOUR TUR) THEN BRITISH AIRWAYS CEASED TO OPERATE ON THE HONG KONG-PEKING
SECTOR, ALTHOUGH HE AFFIRMED THAT EVEN THEN THE CHINESE
WOULD NOT AGREE TO ANOTHER BRITISH CARRIER COMING ON THE
ROUTE (SEMI COLON) AND
(B) PENDING SUCH A REVIEW, CAAC'S RIGHTS COULD BE RESTRICTED TO THE THREE POINTS PEKING, SHANGHAI AND CANTON.
ON THE OTHER HAND, LU MAINTAINED THAT THE CHINESE WOULD NOT
BE PREPARED TO ALLOW ANOTHER BRITISH AIRLINE TO OPERATE BETWEEN
HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI WHILE BRITISH AIRWAYS WERE OPERATING
VIA HONG KONG TO PEKING, ALTHOUGH HE WAS PREPARED TO CONCEDE
THAT A BRITISH AIRLINE COULD OPERATE A DAILY SERVICE BETWEEN
HONG KONG AND CANTON (WHICH SO FAR AS WE KNOW NO BRITISH AIRLINE
WANTS).
3. IN VIEW OF LU'S INTRANSIGENT ATTITUDE, THE AMBASSADOR ARRANGED A MEETING WITH VICE-MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (ZHANG WENJIN)
WHICH TOOK PLACE ON 26 MAY.
(REPORTED IN MIFT.)
CONFIDENTIAL
14.