TNAG-0777-FCO40-981-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 137

CONFIDENTIAL

RECE

Reference

母

-HKK 184

1

Ir Quantrill

Mr Stewart

HONG KONG/VIETNAM AIR LINK

1.

-

DEK (

INDEX

No

Taken

David Wilson has written to ask for guidance on the tactics which should be adopted in dealing with the Vietnamese request for non-scheduled cargo flights between Saigon and Hong Kong.

2. Subject to the agreement of the Bangkok Air Traffic Control authorities, about which there is not expected to be any difficulty, there are no problems from a purely aviation point of view.

3.

ow

in

The prime consideration is the leverage that these flights can give British Civil Aviation authorities in obtaining Vietnamese agreement to the re-opening of the major civil air corridor (AMBER 1) from Bangkok to Hong Kong, which passes over Vietnam Eussy and is of prime importance to both BA and CPA. Since Hanoi are under no pressure at present to agree to the unscheduled flights, Mr Wilson suggests that we defer agreement until AMBER 1 is secure. We can then "reward" the Vietnamese. Talks on AMBER 1 are due to start in Vietianne next week.

I attach a draft. MAED, SAED and the Department of Trade agree.

4.

3 February 1978

Enc.

Franquen

Thompson

K 245

Hong Kong & General Department

W. E. Chantill W.E.

312

oft to iss

Jal

CODE 18-77

SS 10/76

CONFIDENTIAL