GR 180
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL 184/12--
FM F C O 021642Z AUG 79
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 439 OF 2 AUGUST
INFO HONG KONG.
6 AUG 1979
ACER
PA
ᄏ
YOUR TELNO 672: UK/PRC AIR SERVICES AND GATWICK.
NO.
j
233
& Xx
ра
_PA NA 3/8
235
1. IT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE THAT THE GATWICK ISSUE SHOULD BE RESOLVED BEFORE PREMIER HUA'S VISIT. IF THE AGREEMENT WERE SIGNED DURING THE VISIT WITH CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY AND WE SUBSEQUENTLY
FAILED TO REACH AGREEMENT ON GATWICK THIS COULD BE PRESENTATIONALLY
DAMAGING. INDEED IF WE CANNOT REACH AGREEMENT BEFORE THE VISIT WE
DOUBT WHETHER SIGNATURE COULD GO AHEAD AS CURRENTLY ENVISAGED.
2. PLEASE THEREFORE SEEK AN EARLY APPOINTMENT WITH CA AC TO MAKE A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL FOR THEM TO VISIT GATWICK ON WHATEVER DATES IN,
EARLY SEPTEMBER WOULD BE CONVENIENT FOR THEM. WE WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CHINESE TEAM WHENEVER IT WISHES TO COME, YOU COULD POINT OUT THAT ROGERS' LETTER IN YOUR TELEGRAM
UNDER REFERENCE STATES THAT QUOTE WE AGREED THAT THE TWO SIDES WOULD CONSULT EACH OTHER ABOUT THIS MATTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNQUOTE. YOU SHOULD STRESS THE IMPRTANCE WE ATTACH TO AN EARLY RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE, BUT WE LEAVE IT TO YOUR DISCRETION WHETHER TO PUT THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF PREMIER HUA'S VISIT.
3. IN VIEW OF THE WIDER POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS YOU MAY WISH TO
KEEP THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN THE PICTURE.
CARRINGTON
FILES
MAED
FED
[COPIES
IS
SENT TO CAD DOT]
HKOG D PSILPS
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
MISS BROWN
CONFIDENTIAL
: