206
GR
453
CONFIDENTIAL
शव
PRIORITY
HER/CAT A
FM PEKING 130815Z
CONFIDENT I AL
2 APR 1978
DIAR OFFLER -
INDEX
No a
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 228 OF 19 APR 1978 INFO HONG KONG, DEPARTMENT OF TRADE
HONG KONG TELEGRAM 473 TO YOU: CHINA AND HONG KONG.
PA
50.51
RECISTRY
Action Taken
See 228
NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHTS BETWEEN
1. DURING AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION ON 14 APRIL WITH A MEMBER OF WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT, M.F.A., I RAISED THE QUESTION AND REFERRED TO THE WEN WEI PAO REPORT. THE OFFICIAL CONCERNED, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG AFFAIRS, SAID THAT HE HAD NO OFFICIAL KNOWLEDGE OF ANY PREPARATIONS FOR ANY SUCH FLIGHTS AND THOUGHT THAT THE REPORT WAS SPECULATION. HE DID HOWEVER AGREE WHEN I SUGGESTED THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT BE FLYING A KITE. ON THE FACE OF IT THEREFORE IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE ANY OFFICIAL APPROACH FOR SUCH FLIGHTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
2.
NEVERTHELESS I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO RESPOND QUICKLY IN THE EVENT OF AN APPROACH AND WOULD AGREE WITH THE LINE PROPOSED IN HONG KONG TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE.
3. THERE IS OF COURSE THE DANGER THAT ONCE WE HAVE AGREED
TO NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHTS, PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE REGULAR OVER
A SHORT PERIOD EG FOR THE WHOLE OF THE CANTON FAIR PERIOD, WE MAY FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO REFUSE FURTHER FLIGHTS IF THE CHINESE REQUESTED THEM. WOULD SUGGEST, THEREFORE THAT IF A PROPOSAL COMES FROM THE CHINESE FOR NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHTS, WE SHOULD WHILE AGREEING PUT A VERY FIRM MARKER DOWN ABOUT THE NEED TO HAVE SUCH FLIGHTS REGULATED BY A FORMAL AGREEMENT.
!
/4. IT
CONFIDENTIAL
►
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.