CONFIDENTIAL
5.
COMMENT. WE THINK ISHAK IS PROBABLY TRYING IN HIS OWN WAY TO BE HELPFUL BUT WE CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE MALAYSIAN TACTIC IS TO TRY TO SECURE WHAT THEY WANT WITHOUT FULL-BLOWN TALKS WITH THE INTENTION THAT IF THEY FAIL THEY WILL MAKE MORE PUBLIC NOISE WHEN THEIR 747'S AND DC10'S ARE INTRODUCED. THEY WOULD CLAIM THAT HAVING BEEN SOLD 747'S BY BA, MAS ARE NOW BEING PREVENTED BY BRITAIN FROM OPERATING THEM PROFITABLY. ALTHOUGH I VCLISE THE ISSUES ARE COMPLEX, I HOPE THAT WE CAN GIVE A CONSTRUCTIVE AND POSITIVE REPLY
SOON.
BENTLEY
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