TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 161

HKK 22/5

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Defensive

CONFIDENTIAL

Brief No

Secretary of State's Visit to Hong Kong

February, 1972

make

Kai Tak Airport

Points to be made-

(As stated in paragraph

of

The calls for financial assistance from HMG

Fo Tel No 386 of are such that they can only be met on a system of 21 May 1971 in the

? Omit

-

ince

this might be construed as being a glimmer of hope in the Kai Tak context

context of the priorities based on need. Because of this it is Defence Contribution

Copy attached) difficult for HMG to help Hong Kong financially

with its development problems However, it must

not be thought that HMG would not be prepared to

consider assisting Hong Kong in some appropriate

way if an urgent need for such assistance were

to arise at some future time and a specific case

were put forward

tefia excluded) G Meanwhile, HMG are always ready to assist Hong

Kong in other ways whenever the opportunity to

do so arises.

2.

Howoros, (*£

raffic rights for foreign airlines in Hong

Kong are a completely separate issue. We believe

ann al

Hongkong's)

that our overall long term interest/is best

namely

served by our present policy, which is normally

to grant such rights only in exchange for rights

other

in foreign countries for Cathay Pacific Airways

and other British airlines

airlines (including of

C-

р-

A-).

Cabe

CONFIDENT IAL