TNAG-0777-FCO40-981-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 70

PRIORITY

EN CLAIR

PS160

FM WELLINGTON 2405362

UNCLASSIFIED

124

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 54 OF 24 FEBRUARY 1979

2 7 FEB 1978

DECK OFFICER INDEX

¡PA

MIPT: UK/NZ AIR SERVICES

TEXT IS AS FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

No

NEW ZEALAND AND BRITISH OFFICIALS HELD TALKS IN WELLINGTON THIS

WEEK TO REVIEW AIR SERVICES ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND

AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. THESE WERE THE FIRST FORMAL BILATERAL

TALKS HELD BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS SINCE 1962, AND TOOK

PLACE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES SINCE

THAT DATE. REPRESENTATIVES OF AIR NEW ZEALAND, BRITISH AIRWAYS AND CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS WERE ALSO PRESENT AT THE DISCUSSIONS.

IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO REACH ANY FINAL CONCLUSION TO THE TALKS THIS WEEK AND THEY ARE TO BE CONTINUED AT DATES TO BE AGREED IN MAY OR JUNE. MEANWHILE, BRITISH AIRWAYS ROUTE SCHEDULE CHANGES WILL COME INTO OPERATION AS PLANNED ON 1 APRIL WHILE FROM THAT DATE AIR NEW ZEALAND WILL FLY TO HONG KONG DIRECT

FROM AUCKLAND AS ALREADY ANNOUNCED.

ENDS.

SMEDLEY

FILES

MAED

ECOND

SEAD

sup D.

HKIGD

MRTHOMAS.

MR MURRAY

MR BUTLER

MR Burrows.

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