TNAG-0777-FCO40-981-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 73

123

GPS 300

ENCLAIR

F PORT MORESBY 249115Z

UNCLASSIFIED

TO ROUTINE FCO TEL NO 27 OF 24/2

HKK

18411

RECSIVEO ***

2 7 FEB 1978

DISK OFFICER INDEX

AND TO ROUTINE HONG KONG AND ROUTINE WELLINGTON

MY TELEGRAM 21 TO FCO (NOT TO WELLINGTON)

No

REGISTR/

PA

Action Take

1. WE HAVE TODAY RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING NOTE. THE REFERENCE

IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH IS TO THE NEWS ITEM IN THE POST COURIER OF 15 FEBRUARY, COPIES OF WHICH HAVE BEEN SENT BY BAG TO BCARFE, CHANCERY WELLINGTON, AND M.A.E. DEPT., FCO.

2. BEGINS. THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE PRESENTS

ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION AND HAS THE

HONOUR TO ADVISE THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA POSITION IN REGARD TO A RECENT

NEWS STATEMENT EMINATING FROM HONG KONG TO THE EFFECT THAT CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS PLANS TWICE-WEEKLY SERVICES BETWEEN HONG KONG

AND NEW ZEALAND VIA PORT MORESBY, COMMENCING IN OCTOBER OF THIS

YEAR.

3. OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES PROVIDES FOR AIR

NIUGINT AND CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS TO OPERATE ONE RETURN SERVICE

EACH WEEK BETWEEN HONG KONG AND PORT MORESBY WITH THE UNDERSTANDING

THAT CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS WOULD NOT COMMENCE OPERATIONS BEFORE

THE 1ST MARCH 1978.

4. IN INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS LATE LAST YEAR THE BRITISH CIVIL

AVIATION REPRESENTATIVE (FAR EAST) RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF

CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS PROVIDING A TWICE-WEEKLY SERVICE HONG

KONG-PORT MORESBY-AUCKLAND AND IN RETURN THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES

WOULD ALLOW AIR NIUGINI A SERVICE TO A POINT BEYOND HONG KONG. HE WAS

ADVISED THAT OUR POLICY TO DATE HAD BEEN TO EXCHANGE ONLY THIRD AND FOURTH FREEDOM RIGHTS, BUT WE UNDERTOOK TO CONSIDER THE MATTER..

15.

THE