TNAG-0777-FCO40-981-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 83

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK184/1

27 FEB 1978

115

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GPS 650

PRIORITY

DESK OFFICER

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INDEX

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CYPHER CAT A

No

FM FCO 221915Z

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hope were agreed by For Murray.

TO PRIORITY WELLINGTON TELEGRAM NO 37 OF 22 FEBRUARY

INFO KUALA LUMPUR, HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR AND: BCARFE), SINGAPORE,

JAKARTA.

FOR ROGERS, DOT.

w/R.

KUALA LUMPUR TEL NO 87: CONCORDE/MALAYSIA.

7

1. WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE MALAYSIAN PROPOSAL REPORTED IN TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE, AND FULLY AGREE WITH YOUR VIEWS IN WELLINGTON TEL NO 44.

2. OUR OVERALL OBJECTIVES REMAIN:

(A) TO SECURE THE RESUMPTION OF THE CONCORDE SERVICE TO SINGAPORE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND AT NO OBVIOUS COST: AND

(B) TO KEEP CONCORDE OVERFLIGHT SEPARATE FROM SUB-SONIC AIR SERVICES ISSUES.

BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO APPEAR ENTIRELY NEGATIVE IN RESPONDING TO HAMZAH, A COSMETIC GESTURE WHICH MIGHT ENCOURAGE MOVEMENT BY THE MALAYSIANS, WOULD BE TO GIVE THEM A WRITTEN DECLARATION AFFIRMING THAT WE ARE READY TO REVIEW THE ASA AND SETTING OUT THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES (EG FAIR AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND THE PRIMARY IMPORTANCE OF THIRD/FOURTH FREEDOM TRAFFIC SEE ARTICLE 5 OF EXISTING ASA) ON WHICH THIS REVIEW WOULD BE BASED. HOWEVER RATHER THAN GIVE THIS CARD AWAY IN RESPONSE TO HAMZAH'S ENQUIRY, PARTICULARLY AS IT SELF-EVIDENTLY DOES NOT MEET HIS MAIN REQUIREMENT, WE THINK IT MIGHT BE BEST USED AS AN OPENING CARD WHEN YOU RETURN TO K.L. WE WILL TELEGRAPH A SUGGESTED TEXT TO YOU.

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