RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY HANOI
TELNO 39
OF 260953Z MARCH 93
AND TO PRIORITY FCO, DTP
RESTRICTED
Сс
ра
0
115225
Billow Smilf 1 AN 13203 FED
figetuan
ASA'S.
HICC 181/17 RECEIVED IN~ISTRY
DTP FOR IAD AND CAA
~ NOT ON FILE
1 APR 1993
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
YRTELNO 26: VISIT OF VIETNAMESE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER TO
HONG KONG
·
1 MRS ANSON CHAN, SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES AND SUBSEQUENTLY MR PETER LOK, DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION, MET MR NGUYEN DY NIEN, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER ON 25 MARCH. NIEN REHEARSED THE ARGUMENTS BEHIND THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL TO RESUME FULL MANAGEMENT OF THE HO CHI MINH FIR. HE CLAIMED THAT THAILAND, UK (CONTRARY TO OUR UNDERSTANDING) AS WELL AS ICAO PRESIDENT KOTAITE WERE ALL SYMPATHETIC TO VIETNAM'S CASE. HOWEVER HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WERE SOME DIFFERENCES IN VIEWS WITH THE PRC OVER THE DELINEATION OF THE FIR BOUNDARY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. NIEN SAID THAT ICAO HAD PRODUCED A DRAFT PROPOSALS ON AIRSPACE ORGANISATION IN THE REGION FOR DISCUSSION AT THE APRIL RAN-3 MEETING. ICAO'S PROPOSED DELINEATION OF THE HO
CHI MINH FIR WAS NOT TOTALLY COMPATIBLE WITH VIETNAM'S THINKING AND VIETNAM WOULD WISH TO PROPOSE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FIR BOUNDARY. NONETHELESS, HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE MATTER WOULD BE RESOLVED AT RAN-3. WE RESPONDED THAT ICAO WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE FORUM TO CONSIDER THE ISSUE AND THAT WE WOULD ABIDE BY ANY DECISION TAKEN BY ICAO WHICH WOULD NO DOUBT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY BEFORE ARRIVING AT A DECISION. WE STRESSED OUR CONCERN THAT EXISTING SERVICE STANDARDS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED.
2. GIVEN THAT BOTH VIETNAM AND THE PRC ARE VYING FOR AIRSPACE OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, WE HAVE SO FAR TRIED TO MAINTAIN A NEUTRAL POSITION ON THE ISSUE FOR OBVIOUS POLITICAL REASONS. NONETHELESS, WE ARE CURRENTLY EXAMINING ICAO'S PROPOSED ORGANISATION OF AIRSPACE OVER SOUTHERN CHINA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG IN PREPARATION FOR RAN-3 MEETING.
3. FOR DTP, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD LET US HAVE YOUR VIEWS ON ICAO'S PROPOSAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE PROPOSE TO
1
PAGE RESTRICTED