TNAG-0643-FCO40-791-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1977 — Page 157

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ON THE SAME SIDE AS THE UNITED STATES) ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH USER CHARGES AT NARITA WERE BEING CALCULATED AND ABOUT THE LEVEL OF SUCH CHARGES. WHILE IT MIGHT WELL BE LOGICAL FOR THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO LOAD ON TO THE USERS OF NARITA AIRPORT THE FULL COSTS OF THE NEW AIRPORT, INCLUDING THE COST OF 'BUYING OFF'' THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND THE INTEREST THAT HAD ACCRUED DURING THE LONG PERIOD WHEN THE AIRPORT HAD LAIN IDLE, THIS SEEMED TO HIM TO BE CARRYING LOGIC TOO FAR. THE REASONABLE SOLUTION WOULD BE FOR THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO WRITE OFF AT LEAST THE SPECIAL ELEMENTS OF COST. HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR THEM TO DO SO AS PART OF THE MINISTERIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH JAMAJI HAD ENVISAGED RATHER THAN TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING OURSELVES. YAMAJI SAID HE WOULD ENSURE THAT FULL WEIGHT WAS GIVEN TO THIS. HE WAS MOST ANXIOUS NOT TO GET INTO A POSITION IN WHICH THERE WAS ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE UK OVER THIS MATTER.

SPECIAL POSITION OF CHINA AIRLINES

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YAMAJI SAID THAT IN THE COURSE OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NARITA DURING THE LAST ROUND OF THE US/JAPAN AIR SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS, THE AMERICANS HAD SAID THAT THEY MIGHT WELL WISH TO OBJECT (UNDER ARTICLE 15 OF THE CHICAGO CONVENTION) TO THE JAPANESE DECISION TO LEAVE CHINA AIRLINES (CAL) AT HANEDA WHEN ALL THE OTHER INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS MOVED TO NARITA. THEY HAD POINTED OUT THAT WITH THE B747SP SERVICES THAT CAL WERE NOW OPERATING FROM TAIPEI NON-STOP TO THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES, CAL WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER A MORE CONVENIENT SERVICE FROM HANEDA VIA TAIPEI THAN THEIR COMPETITORS COULD OFFER FROM NARITA. ROGERS SAID THAT, WHILE WE WERE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE ADVANTAGE THAT CAL WOULD HAVE ON THE TAIPEI/TOKYO ROUTE AS A RESULT OF OPERATING TO HANEDA, WE UNDERSTOOD THE POLITICAL REASONS FOR THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION AND WERE UNLIKELY TO TAKE A STAND ON THE LEGALITIES.

POSITION OF JAPAN ASIA AIRLINES

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