TNAG-0777-FCO40-981-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 119

(69)

(90)

GRS 439

CYPHER CAT A

FM PORT MORESBY 138332Z

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HKK1841

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No h

41

2078

See 123

(18 at)

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 21 OF 13 FEBRUARY AND TO ROUTINE HONG

KONG

MY TELNO 13 TO FCO: UK PNG AIR SERVICES

1. I HAVE SPOKEN AGAIN TO PNG CIVIL AVIATION OFFICIALS WHO HAVE CONSULTED TAUVASA (STILL ON LEAVE). THEY CONFIRM THAT PNG IS AT PRESENT RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS RIGHTS FOR CPA TO FLY AUCKLAND FROM POROM PORT MORESBY.

2. THEY SAY IN CONFIDENCE THAT AIR NEW ZEALAND ARE REQUESTING RIGHTS TO HONG KONG THROUGH PORT MORESBY

· AND ARE CLAIMING FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION ON THE GROUNDS THAT NEW ZEALAND GIVES SUBSTANTIAL AID TO PNG. THEY BELIEVE THAT TO GRANT RIGHTS AS SOUGHT BY CPA WOULD

NESESSITATE AGREEING TO AIR NEW ZEALAND'S

REQUEST: BUT THERE 13 NOT SUFFICIENT TRAFFIC TO JUSTIFY THREE AIRLINES COVERING THE PORT MORESBY/HONG KONG ROUTE.

3. AIR NIUGINI ARE INTERESTED IN RIGHTS BEYOND HONG KONG BUT ARE NOT YET DECIDED WHERE THEIR PRIORITIES LIE. HONG KONG KAGOSHIMA IS ONE POSSIBILITY BUT THEY DOUBT IF JAPAN WOULD AGREE. (JAPAN HAS REFUSED AIR NIUGINT RIGHTS TO TOKYO.) HONG KONG SINGAPORE IS ANOTHER, SUT PNG IS STRENUOUSLY RESISTING SINGAPORE AIRLINES' PRESSURE FOR RIGHTS INTO

PORT MORES3Y.

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