TNAG-0780-FCO40-984-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 9

GPS 200

CYPHER CAT A

FM CANBERRA 080630Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 184/1

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INDEX

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TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 419 OF 8 SEPTEMBER AND TO ROUTINE

HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND BCARFE)

INFO SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR.

YOUR TELNO 423: UK/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES.

1.

ROWLAND TOLD FIRST SECRETARY(ECONOMIC) THAT HE HAD NO REPEAT NO OBJECTION TO BRIEFING HKTA AS IN YOUR PARA 1 BUT EMPHASIZED THAT BASIS SHOULD BE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

2.

ROWLAND SAID THAT FURTHER WORK ON AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS HAD BEEN PROCEEDING MORE SLOWLY THAN HOPED BECAUSE OF NEED TO PREPARE FOR TALKS WITH THE AMERICANS, WHICH THE LATTER THEN POSTPONED. PACE WAS NOW PICKING UP AND ROWLAND EXPECTED TO GO BACK TO MINISTERS WITHIN 2 WEEKS AND THAT MR NIXON WOULD MAKE A BROAD POLICY STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT IN ABOUT 3 WEEKS' TIME. AUSTRALIANS HOPED TO SEE ASIANS THEREAFTER. ROWLAND SAID QUOTE THE THAI AND MALAYSIAN SITUATIONS LOOK PRETTY GOOD UNQUOTE.

3. ROWLANDS STRESSED TODAY'S PRESS CUTTINGS (BY BAG) REPORTING AUSTRALIA/UK AGREEMENT WERE NOT BASED ON DEPARTMENTAL BRIEFING.

4.

FCO PASS TO G. ROGERS, DOT.

DUDGEON

FILES MAED

HK & GD SWPD

MR BUTLER

MISS BROWN

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL