TNAG-0643-FCO40-791-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1977 — Page 67

CYPHER CATA

FM HONG KONG 090845Z GPS 300

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

HISK 184/3.

RELEA

14 DEC

PRIORITY VIENTIANE TELNO 27 OF 9 DECEMBER 1977-

INFO ROUTINE F C O, HANOI.

YOUR TELNO 10: LAO AVIATION SPECIAL FLIGHTS.

#

Action Taken

107

RECISTRY

YOUR TELEGRAM ARRIVED AFTER THE LAOTIANS HAD BEEN SPOKEN TO

IN THE TERMS OF PARAGRAPH 4 OF MY TELNO 25. WE AGREE THAT IT

WOULD BE USEFUL IF YOU COULD REPEAT THIS STATEMENT TO THE MFA.

YOU MIGHT LIKE TO ADD THAT THE LAO AIRCRAFT ARRIVED WITHOUT

DISTANCE MEASURING EQUIPMENT WHICH IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR

AIRCRAFT OPERATING INTO HONG KONG. THE LAOTIANS WERE WARNED EARLIER IN THE YEAR ABOUT THIS REQUIREMENT. FORTUNATELY, TRAFFIC

AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SUCH THAT LACK OF SUCH EQUIPMENT DID

NOT CAUSE UNDUE DIFFICULTY ON THIS PARTICULAR FLIGHT, BUT IT WILL BE ESSENTIAL IF THERE ARE TO BE ANY FURTHER FLIGHTS.

2. WHILE SYMPATHISING WITH YOUR PROBLEMS, WE WOULD IN ANY CASE HAVE FELT OBLIGED TO STICK TO OUR ORIGINAL LINE FOR THE REASONS STATED

IN OUR TELEGRAM. THE HAECO CONSIDERATION IS NOT IMPORTANT. THE

AMOUNT HAECO EARNS FROM LAOS IS MINIMAL, PARTICULARLY IN COMPARISON WITH THE LOSS INCURRED TO BRITISH AIRLINES (INCLUDING CATHAY PACIFIC WHICH IS CLOSELY LINKED WITH HAECO) AS A RESULT

OF HAVING TO FLY AROUND INDO-CHINA.

3. REGRETTABLY, WE CANNOT AGREE TO YOUR SUGGESTION THAT APPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE FLIGHTS, AS ENVISAGED IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF OUR TELNO 25, SHOULD BE ROUTED THROUGH YOU. THE HONG KONG PROCEDURES FOR NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHTS, WHICH LAY DOWN THAT APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE MADE DIRECT TO THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION, ARE PUBLISHED AND WIDELY KNOWN. IT WOULD BE BOTH CONFUSING, AND CONTRARY TO ICAO PRINCIPLES, TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION OF ONE PARTICULAR COUNTRY. WE WOULD OF COURSE HAVE NO OBJECTION IF YOU WISH TO SUPPORT A LAOTIAN REQUEST FOR ONE OF THE OCCASIONAL SPECIAL FLIGHTS REFERRED TO IN OUR TELEGRAM. WE WILL DO OUR BEST

TO CONSIDER SUCH REQUESTS SYMPATHETICALLY.

ROBERTS

FILES

MAED

HREGO SEAD MR BUMER MR MURRAY MR CORM ZZI

[COAL

[COPIES SENT TO

CAD/DOT

•]

REPETITION TO HANOI

DEFERRED FÖR DEPARTMENTAL DECISION REPEATED AS REQUESTED TO OTHER POSTS,

CONFIDENTIAL