RS. 496
CONFIDENTIAL
BUSA)
NO IDENTIAL
FROM FCO 311730Z AUG 79
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 497 OF 31 AUGUST
HICK ITY/2
RECEIVEO INANG VEY NO
2 4 SEP 1979 541 30
INDEX
REGISTRY
on Taken
MIPT: CAAC USE OF HEATHROW/GATWICK.
1. CAAC'S HARD LINE IS DISAPPOINTING AND WE MUST MAKE STRENOUS - EFFORTS TO SOFTEN IT IN ORDER TO REMOVE THIS OBSTACLE TO EVENTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT. IN VIEW OF THE MORE RECEPTIVE ATTITUDE OF THE MFA OFFICIAL RECORDED IN THE TELELETTER UNDER REFERENCE AND THE MFA'S INTEREST IN THE OPENING OF AIR
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE UK AND PRC, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH WE SHOULD AGAIN SEEK THEIR HELP OVER CAAC INTRANSIGENCE. IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE. APPROACH THEM AT OFFICIAL LEVEL AND ALSO CAAC. IT IS OPPORTUNE TO DO
SO NOW BECAUSE ON 33 AUGUST MINISTERS REAFFIRMED THE 1977 POLICY
REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF MIPT. NO STATEMENT HAS YET BEEN MADE:
FOR YOUR INFORMATION THE TIMING DEPENDS ON DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE AIRPORTS POLICY. BUT YOU CAN TELL THE CHINESE
ABOUT THE CONFIRMATION.
2. YOU SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO THE MFA AND CAAC AND EXPRESS THE HOPE THAT CAAC WILL NOW ACCEPT THAT THEY CANNOT USE HEATHROW AND THAT THEY WILL SHORTLY DECIDE THAT THEY SHOULD USE GATWICK.
A. DURING THE ASA NEGOTIATIONS, THE UK DELEGATION INDICATED THAT, IN REVIEWING ITS POLICY ON AIRPORTS, HMG WERE VERY LIKELY TO REAFFIRM THE 1977 DECISION THAT NO NEW CARRIERS TO LONDON SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO OPERATE SCHEDULED SERVICES TO HEATHROW. UK MINISTERS HAVE NOW CONFIRMED THAT THIS ELEMENT OF THE POLICY WILL CONTINUE.
B. THE BACKGROUND IS THAT THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO RELIEVE CONGESTION AT HEATHROW WHERE DEMAND ALREADY EXCEEDS CAPACITY IN TERMINAL 3 (INTER-CONTINENTAL SERVICES) AND WILL DO SO IN TERMINALS 1 AND 2 (DOMESTIC AND SHORTHAUL INTERNATIONAL SERVICES) WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. WHILE SOME. SWITCHING OF AIR SERVICES BETWEEN TERMINALS IS POSSIBLE AND WILL PROVIDE SOME RELIEF, NO FUNDAMENTAL INCREASE IN CAPACITY CAN BE PROVIDED IN THE SHORT
•
CONFIDENTIAL
/TERM WITHIN
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