GIS 699
ONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL HEKIS/4
FM CANBERRA 0906002 NOV 78
TELNO 559 OF 9 NOVEMBER 1978
N=
OFFICER
27 NO. 51 1978
REG.MTRY Action Taken
INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, HANILA, JAKARTA 630 YOUR TELNO 538 UK/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES
631
1. ROWLAND SPOKE FOR AUSTRALIA IN THE CIVIL AVIATION DISCUSSIONS AT THE ASEAN/AUSTRALIA FORUM, HE TOLD US HE FELT THAT AT THE END OF THE MEETING ASEAN REPRESENTATIVES WELL UNDERSTOOD THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT'S POLICY AND THAT, EXCEPT FOR THE SINGAPOREAN, THEY HAD
A GOOD DEAL OF SYMPATHY WITH IT. NONE OF THE ASEAN DELEGATIONS, HOWEVER, INCLUDED CIVIL AVIATION EXPERTS. OF ASEANS ONLY SINGPORE SPOKE AND WAS PREDICTABLY CRITICAL. THE MALAYSIANS AND THAIS TOLD
ROWLAND IN THE CORRIDORS THAT FOR REASONS OF ASEAN SOLIDARITY THEY
HAD QUOTE TO GO ALONG WITH SINGAPORE FOR A WHILE UNQUOTE. THE ASEANS
WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER THE AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS ARE TO BE
SETTLED BILATERALLY OR AS A REGIONAL MATTER, AUSTRALIANS TAKE SOME COMFORT FROM THE SINGAPOREANS' TROUBLES IN THEIR CIVIL AVIATION
RELATIONS WITH MALAYSIA AND WITH THAILAND (OVER SINGAPOREAN FIFTH FREEDOMING THROUGH THAILAND TO JAPAN).
2. IT WAS AGREED AT THE FORUM THAT THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN ASEAN AND AUSTRALIA IN DECEMBER. AUSTRALIANS WERE IRRITATED THAT THE ASEAN SECRETARY GENERAL TURNED DOWN DECEMBER AS BEING INCONVENIENT BUT NEVERTHELESS HOPE SOMETHING MAY
BE ARRANGED THEN.
3. ROWLAND HAS GIVEN U3 IN CONFIDENCE THE ASEAN PAPER TABLED AT THE FORUM AND HIS REPLY, COPIES BY TODAY'S BAG. PLEASE PROTECT THIS CONFIDENCE. ASEAN PAPER STATES THAT TOURISM AND AVIATION IN ASEAN COUNTRIES WILL BE BADLY AFFECTED: EXPRESSES HOPE THAT IN IM PLEMENTING THE NEW POLICY AUSTRALIA WOULD ENSURE THAT REGION AS A WHOLE WOULD NOT BE BY-PASSED BY THE AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLING PUBLIC: AND LOOKS FORWARD TO DISCUSSION WITH THE AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES. 4. THE AUSTRALIAM TEAM IS SEEING THE MALAYSIANS THIS WEEK.
A MEETING WITH THE SINGAPOREANS HAS NOT YET BEEN ARRANGED. AUSTRAL-: IANS DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE SINGAPOREANS AT THE END OF THE ASEAN LIST
AS A LAST RESORT SINGAPOREAN RELUCTANCE TO GO TO THE TABLE COULD BE OVERCOME BY AUSTRALIA SERVING NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF THEIR AIR
SERVICES AGREEMENT. AIRLINE TALKS WITH THE INDONESIANS ARE DUE
TO BE HELD ON 10 NOVEMBER AND AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS WOULD PROBABLY
RETURN TO JAKARTA THEREAFTER.
CONFIDENTIAL
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