TNAG-0779-FCO40-983-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 125

Registry No.

SECURITY CLA CATION

DRAFT LETTER

Top Secret,

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

.........................................In Confidence

To:-

Mr Dell

Type 1 +

From

Mr Judd

Telephone No. Ext.

Department

I understand that the Australians have asked for IMG's preliminary

reaction to their proposals for changing the basis of their air

services with other countries, including particularly the UK, which

officials of each side have been discussing here this week.

In view of the likely repercussions of the Australian proposal

on our relations with third countries, 1 think we should be careful

to give no immediate commitment. I suggest that we might respond

to their request with a form of words on the following lines:-

"IDIG would naturally wish to examine constructively any proposals

for a cheap fare policy for the Australia route for the benefit

of the air traveller. We are most grateful to the Australians

for their detailed explanation of their proposals to achieve this

objective. We shall now be glad to give these proposals careful

consideration. They raise a number of issues affecting

Governments of third countries. It would help HMG to reach

a conclusion if the Australians were able to give us some account

of the reactions of other governments affected, whom we understand

the Australians are now going to approach."

03 103087 400M S&K 1 77