TNAG-0778-FCO40-982-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 164

CONFIDENTIAL

4. D C A WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO REQUIRE THE FLIGHTS TO

BE COVERED BY DOLLARS 150 MILLION THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE. GRATEFUL FOR ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN ELICIT ABOUT THE PRESENT

CONDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WHETHER THE LAOTIANS WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INSURANCE COVER. IF THE RISKS SEEM ACCEPTABLE DCA MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION (AS FOR THE VISCOUNT FLIGHT: MY TELNO 7) BUT YOU SHOULD NOT INDICATE THIS POSSIBILITY TO THE LAOTIANS. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THEIR REACTION IF INSURANCE WERE MADE A CONDITION OF D C A'S APPROVAL.

5. WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCEPT SOVIET CREW MEMBERS FLIGHTS.

PLEASE SEEK ASSURANCE THAT ONLY LAOTIAN NATIONALS WOULD BE

INVOLVED.

FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO HANOI

MACLEHOSE

FILES

MAED

HK & GD

SEAD

MR BURROWS

MR CORTAZZI

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

2

CONFIDENTIAL