CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 18416
RECEIVED CA ESOBY NO. 51
- 2 APR 1980
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PEO
PA
мо
78.4
4
GR 450
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG Ø10956Z APR 82
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 471 OF 1 APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
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MIPT: CAA DECISION
see
1. DO NOT SUPPOSE THE S OF S WILL WISH TO GO OVER ALL THIS GROUND. FOR MY PART I SUGGEST HE MIGHT CONFINE HIMSELF TO WRITING:-
A) THAT THE GOVERNOR IS SERIOUSLY DISTURBED BY THE FORCE OF PUBLIC REACTION TO THE CAA DECISION TO DIVIDE THE ROUTE BETWEEN TWO UK AIRLINES AND NOT ONE UK (BA) AND ONE HONG KONG (CPA). REACTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN BAD, AND IF THE DECISION IS UPHELD THE GOVERNOR BELIEVES THEY WILL BE FAR WORSE THAN ANYTHING IN HIS EXPERIENCE, TEXTILES INCLUDED. THEY ARE ALSO LIKELY TO BE MORE SUSTAINED AS THE PUBLIC SEE THE BCAL PLANES AND THE PRESS PUBLICISE EVERY REAL OR IMAGINED DEFECT IN THE SERVICE WHEN AND IF ESTABLISHED. THE GOVERNOR SEES THIS AS A RUNNING GRIEVANCE LIKELY TO SPILL OVER INTO OTHER ISSUES IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UK AND HONG KONG, THE LATTER, WITH MUCH EFFORT, HAS BEEN MADE INCREASINGLY SATISFACTORY AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL. THE REASON FOR THIS BITTERNESS IS THAT THE PUBLIC SEES A HONG KONG INTEREST (AND ONE OF WHICH THEY ARE PROUD) BEING SUBORDINATED TO A UK INTEREST
AND THUS EMPHASISING THE MORE ANOMOLOUS ASPECTS OF COLONIAL
STATUS.
B) THIS COMES AT A PARTICULARLY BAD TIME WHEN WE ARE ABOUT TO
RENEGOTIATE A DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT, AND LATER IN THE YEAR
IT WILL WILL MOVE INTO THE MULTI-FIBRE TEXTILE ARRANGEMENT. BE MOST UNFORTUNATE IF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FINDS ITS ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE IN THESE MAJOR ISSUES RESTRICTED BY REACTIONS TO THIS RATHER ESOTERIC MATTER.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ C) THIS
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