TNAG-0643-FCO40-791-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1977 — Page 199

CONFIDENTIAL

PART OF THIS ARRANGEMENT, THAI INTERNATIONAL WOULD BE PERMITTED TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY ON THE TRUNK ROUTE TO 3 X DC10'S

PER WEEK.

2. THE TTHAIS CONCURRED AND WERE GRATEFUL FOR OUR PROPOSED

APPROACH TO THE ROUTE SCHEDULES PROBLEM.

3. THE TEAM GAVE THE THAIS DRAFTS OF THE NEW ROUTE SCHEDULES AND OF THE CMU LAST NIGHT, AND THERE IS TO BE A FIRST DISCUSSION OF THEM THIS MORNING (25TH OCTOBER). THEY WILL ALSO BE HANDLING OVER DRAFTS OF THE CPA/THAI INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT THIS MORNING. A DISCUSSION ABOUT 3 (D) TOOK PLACE IN A JOINT WORKING GROUP CF GOVERNMENT AND AIRLINE REPRESENTATIVES YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND A FURTHER MEETING OF THIS SUB-GROUP IS PLANNED FOR THIS

AFTERNOON.

4. SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL HAS NOT YET APPOINTED NEW MINISTERS, CHARCEN IS ACTING BOTH AS MINISTER AND AS UNDER - SECRETARY (PERMANENT SECRETARY) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE TIME BEING. HOWEVER, HE TOLD ROGERS IN INFORMAL DISCUSSION THAT THE PRESENT POLITICAL HIATUS NEED NOT PREVENT THE CONCLUSION OF AN AGREEMENT, PROVIDED HE OBTAINED THE APPROVAL OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL FOR WHATEVER DEAL WAS CONCLUDED. ALTHOUGH HE HIMSELF WOULD NEED TO DEVOTE PART OF HIS TIME TO OTHER MATTERS, DR SOMPONG (THAI AMBASSADOR TO PARIS), WHO HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE THAI TEAM AS AN QUOTE ADVISER UNQUOTE WOULD BE EMPOWERED TO DEPUTISE FOR HIM.

SOMPONG

IS AN ABLE AND EXPERIENCED ACTOR IN THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE AND SO FAR HAD GIVERN EVERY INDICATION OF WILLINGNESS TO PRESS

AHEAD.

5.

ROGERS WILL BE GRATEFUL FOR COONFIRMATION DESKBY 260130Z FROM THE FCO LEGAL ADVISER THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS ENVISAGED IN PARA

1 ABOVE WILL

A.

B.

EFFECTIVELY REPLACE THE INTERPRETATIVE NOTE OF 1953

AND

HAVING GIVEN THE THAIS VERY GENEROUS ROUTES 1 AND 2 IN THE NNEEWW SCHEDULES 1.E NEW ROUTE SCHEDULES, ENABLE US EFFECTIVELY TO CONTROL THE ROUTES USED BY THAI INTERNATIONAL (ESPECIALLY FIFTH FREEDOM POINTS) AND THE CAPACITY TO BE PUT ON THOSE ROUTES. 6. FCO PLEASE PASS ADVANCE TO MMRS DENZA AND TO LELLO (DOT).

COLE

[ADVANCED AS REQUESTED]

FILES

MAED HK & GD

MR CORTAZZI

SEAD

MR BURROWS

MR MURRAY

COPIES TO MRS DENZA MR STRATTON

MR LELLO

LEGAL ADVISER DOT

2

CONFIDENTIAL