TNAG-0781-FCO40-985-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 113

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liked. Once the political objections are out of the way it is possible

now

that we could get something better in 1978] The particular things that

would be of very real value in descending order of importance are:-

a)

the ability for BA to over-fly China on any or all

of its services to and from Hong Kong

b)

the exercise of full traffic rights by BA between Hong

Kong and Peking and v.v

c)

the inclusion of additional route points on the UK route

in the Schedule to the ASA so as to give BA greater

operating flexibility.

Para. 6)

7. The above is for your information only, there is no intention that

you should attempt to negotiate for it. You could however say to the

Chinese that five and a half years have passed since the draft ASA was

agreed. In that time things have changed and there might be advantage

in the two governments looking at the draft again to see if it accords

with what each side would have set out to negotiate in 1978. For instance

the PRC is now a member of ICAO and that fact alone renders a fair part

of the agreement as drafted redundant. You could say that the UK is prepared

now to send out a team to Peking to have another look at the draft with

the PRC before signing. Equally we would be happy to welcome a Chinese

team in London.

8.

If the Chinese will not accept our proposed statement as satisfying

their political conditions you should express your great disappointment

and say you will have to report back. We would not however want you to

retract on the offer to issue a temporary operating permit to cover the CAAC

services between Canton and Hong Kong.