TNAG-0780-FCO40-984-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 106

"RESTRICTED

IMMEDIATE

DESKBY 262100Z (TO CANBERRA)

HER CAT A AND BY BAG

FM F C O 261748Z

RESTRICTED

TDESKBY 26210OZ

HKK 184/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51 2 8 JUL 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

No

PA

ль

TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA TEL NO 371 OF 26 JUL

REGISTRY

[Action Ten

BE

446

A

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND BCARFE) PRIORITY WELLINGTON, DELHI, SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA, BANGKOK, MANILA, BAHRAIN, WASHINGTON, PARIS, BONN, ROME, THE HAGUE.

INFO SAVING TO VIENNA, BELGRADE, JOHANNESBURG, ATHENS, OTTAWA,

MIPT. UK/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF STATEMENT APPROVED BY MINISTERS TO BE DELIVERED TO ROWLAND, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT.

QUOTE

1. THE UK GOVERNMENT SHARE THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S DESIRE FOR

CHEAPER AIR FARES BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE UK, THESE WOULD HELP

TO CEMENT STILL FURTHER THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE

TWO COUNTRIES.

2. WE FIND THE AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS FOR END TO END SCHEDULED SERVICES, LOW FARES AND HIGH AIRCRAFT UTILISATION ON THE TRUNK ROUTE BETWEEN THE UK AND AUSTRALIA NOVEL AND ATTRACTIVE. IF SUCH A SCHEME COULD BE INTRODUCED IN AN ORDERLY AND ACCEPTABLE MANNER AND SUBJECT TO SOLUTIONS BEING FOUND TO CERTAIN PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IN THE TALKS, WE WOULD COOPERATE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS.

3. THE AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS IN RESPECT OF THE AUSTRALIA/UK ROUTE HAVE IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR A NUMBER OF OTHER COUNTRIES, NOTABLY INDIA, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE AND THAILAND. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE AUSTRALIANS INTEND TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THESE

COUNTRIES. WE SHOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THESE

PROPOSALS FURTHER WITH THE AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES IN THE LIGHT

OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

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/4. WE ALSO