TNAG-0779-FCO40-983-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 88

358

IMMEDIATE

CY HER CAT A

CY HER

FM FCO 2414062

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY CANBERRA 25230OZ

DESKBY DELHI 260330Z

DESKBY WELLINGTON 25210OZ

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY BAHRAIN AND KUWAIT 2606002

DESKBY HONG KONG 26010DZ

DESKBY WASHINGTON 26130OZ

TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA TELNO 326 OF 24 JUNE

RECE

HKK 184/1

IN TEX

26 JUN 1973

OFFICER

PA

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359

多

RY

Tekan

AND TO HONG KONG FOR GOVERNOR AND ECARFE DELHI WASHINGTON AUKLAND (VELLINGTON PLEASE PASS) BAHRAIN KUWAIT

INFO PRIORITY OTTAWA PARIS BONN ROME ATHENS VIENNA BERNE THE HAGUE

MADRID BELGRADE JOHANNESBURG

MIPT.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF DRAFT STATEMENT BY MR NIXON.

QUOTE

THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT, MR PETER NIXON, SAID TODAY THAT TALKS BETWEEN OFFICIALS REPRESENTING THE AUSTRALIAN AND UNITED KINGDOM

GOVERNMENTS CONCLUDED IN LONDON LAST FRIDAY. THESE DISCUSSIONS HAD

CENTRED AROUND FUTURE AIR SERVICES ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE TWO

COUNTRIES AND IN PARTICULAR THE POSSIBILITY OF ACHIEVING LOWER

AIR FARES.

THE MEETINGS WERE CONSTRUCTIVE', MR NIXON SAID. IT WAS CLEAR

THAT BOTH GOVERNMENTS SHARED THE OBJECTIVE OF REDUCING FARES FOR

THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TRAVEL. WE ARE BOTH EQUALLY

CONCERNED NOT TO PUSH THE AIRLINES INTO OPERATING AT A LOSS.'

• THE IMPLICATIONS OF POSSIBLE CHANGES HAVE DEEM CAREFULLY EXAMINED AND CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS MADE. THERE WILL BE A FURTHER MEETING OF AUSTRALIAN AND UNITED KINGDOM OFFICIALS IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSIONS. AS I HAVE SAID PREVIOUSLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE NEGOTIATION OF CHANGED ARRANGEMENTS MUST NECESSARILY TAKE TIME'.

CONFIDENTIAL

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