GPS 300
BLAIR
FM STOCKHOLM 221310Z
UNCLASSIFIED
136
KK 1843
2
TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 218 OF 22 DECEMBER
INFO ROUTINE TO COPENHAGEN, OSLO, UKREP BRUSSELS, WASHINGTON AND UKREP ICAO MONTREAL (OTTAWA PASS)
INFO SAVING TO HONG KONG (GOVERNOR).
(32) YOUR TELNO 158 TO OSLO: UK/SCANDINAVIAN AIR SERVICES AGREEMENTS
1, THE DENUNCIATION IS GIVEN PROMINENCE IN THIS MORNING'S SWEDI SH
PRESS. WHILE REPORTING FOLLOWS GENERALLY THE LINES OF THE PRESS
STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE SCANDINAVIAN MISSIONS IN LONDON (YOUR TELNO 160 TO OSLO) THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL POINTS HAVE BEEN MADE: (A) THE SWEDISH MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT IS QUOTED AS BELIEVING THAT THERE WILL BE NO BRITISH RETALIATION FOR THE TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT AS THE ONLY SAS SERVICE OUTSIDE THE MAIN AGREEMENT QUOTE MAS ALREADY LOST ITS AUTHORIZATION UNQUOTE. THE HEAD OF THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT OF SAS, SOEDERBERG, IS ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE IS CONVINCED THAT A NEW AGREEMENT WILL BE REACHED IN TIME.
(B) THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS SO FAR HAS BEEN QUOTE IRRIT-
ATED UNQUOTE.
(C) A PARTICULAR IRRITATION HAS BEEN THE QUESTION OF RIGHTS FOR SAS TO FLY TO HONG KONG, WHICH LONDON HAS REFUSED DESPITE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE FROM THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES THEMSELVES. SOME EMPHASIS
HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE FACT THAT THE OLD AGREEMENTS HAD BEEN SIGNED WHEN BRITAIN HAD THE NEGOTIATING STRENGTH OF ITS COLONIAL RESPONS- IBILITIES AND THAT THIS ADVANTAGE HAS NOW CHANGED.
(D) THE BRITISH HAD HAD NO COMPUNCTION IN TERMINATING AN UNFAVOUR-
ABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE AMERICANS YET HAD NO UNDERSTANDING FOR
SCANDINAVIAN VIEWS NOW,
k:
(E) COOPERATION
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