HKK182/412/1
SECRET
6 January 1977
level the DoT are concerned over the air traffic control problems that could arise from having another (busy?) international airport only 40 miles away from Hong Kong and quite close to the normal air routes to the south-west of Hong Kong. The DoT's conclusion is that while the construction of an airport at Macao must ultimately be a matter for the Portuguese they can see no reason why we should co-operate in the exercise and every aeronautical reason why we should not, except in so far as our full involvement at the earliest stage would enable us to emphasise the difficulties and, frankly, to play the matter along at the lowest possible speed or even kill it.
3* I enclose a draft reply to the Portuguese memorandum and should be grateful for your views on it. When you reply, could you please let us know a little more about the latest thinking with regard to a second airport in Hong Kong. I believe that there have been plans for one but do not know how the matter now stands. In drafting a reply to the Portuguese memorandum we have endeavoured to avoid foreclosing the option of any further airport development in Hong Kong.
silent copies:
✓ Mr Samuel (FED
J
Mr Buxton (MTD
/ Mr Winchester (SED)
Mr Gardner (DOT)
CC:
Mr R WH Davies (BTC, Hong Kong) Chanceries: Peking
Lisbon
3
SECRET
D F Milton
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