TNAG-0777-FCO40-981-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 213

GRS 200

IMMEDIATE

CYP CAT A

FM PEKING 170845Z JAN

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 26 OF 17 JAN.

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG.

IN

HKK184/1

راسة

23 JAN

ستا

-No LA

MY TELNO 16 OF 13 JANUARY: AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT

See

1. WE MENTIONED TO OFFICIALS OF THE MINISTRY OF

FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT DINNER LAST NIGHT THE FORTHCOMING

CALL BY THE CHINESE COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR ON RODGERS

AND ASKED WHAT THE BACKGROUND WAS,

2. THEY SAID THAT DURING THE VISIT OF THE VICE-

MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, MR TSENG SHENG, TO LONDON,

IN NOVEMBER, MR CLINTON DAVIES HAD INDICATED AN INTEREST IN CONCLUDING THE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT ''ON THE

JAPANESE PATTERN"', MR LIU WOULD BE RESPONDING TO

THIS APPROACH''. ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT REVEAL WHAT

THE RESPONSE WOULD BE IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THEY STILL

HAD IN MIND A POLITICAL ASSURANCE (ALTHOUGH IT WAS

NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE DEMAND THAT THIS SHOULD BE PUBLIC WOULD BE MAINTAINED).

3. IT IS THEREFORE POSSIBLE THAT LIU WILL ENQUIRE

WHETHER WE ARE NOW READY TO MEET THE CHINESE CONDITIONS

ON WHICH THE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE IN THE PAST FOUNDERED.

WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS HIS PURPOSE THE BEST TACTICS WOULD

BE TO REMAIN NON-COMMITTAL UNTIL WE SEE THE COLOUR

OF CHINESE MONEY.

YOUDE

FILES

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

FED

MAED

HK & GD.

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL

T..ken

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