TNAG-0781-FCO40-985-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 72

GRS 482

CIDENTIAL

DESKBY FCO 291380Z

DESKBY PEKING 292338Z

FM HONG KONG 291236Z NOV 78

TO IMMEDIATE FC O

CONFIDENTIAL

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1372 OF 29, NOVEMBER

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO HONG KONG.GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

PEKING TELNO 857 TO FCC: AIR SERVICES.

(680

HKK 18

RECEIVED TI RECATORS: 51

1 DEC 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

No of

REC STRY Action Ten

CLE

-1. TODAY'S LEADING COMMUNIST PAPERS HAVE PROMINENT CAAC

ADVERTISEMENTS ANNOUNCING THE TIMES OF CHARTER FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANTON AS FROM 1 DECEMBER, THEY ALSO PUBLISH NEWS

ITEMS SAYING THAT 'PASSENGER CHARTER FLIGHTS WILL CONTINUE" . AND THAT THIS WILL BE CONVENIENT. FOR THOSE GOING. TO CHINA OVER THE CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR AND SPRING FESTIVAL HOLIDAY PERIODS.

**

2. CAAC IS THUS PUBLICALLY COMMITTED TO CHARTER FLIGHTS CONTINUING.

ALTHOUGH THEY COULD PROBABLY ARGUE AWAY A CHANGE OF THESE TO SCHEDULED SERVICES, THEY WOULD CLEARLY BE HIGHLY EMBARRASSED IF FLIGHTS DO NOT CONTINUE ON 1 DECEMBER. WE WOULD THEN HAVE TO EXPECT ACCUSATIONS OF HAVING MISLED THEM OR OF BAD FAITH. WE CANNOT EXPECT THEM TO SAY SIMPLY THAT THEY MADE A MISTAKE, EVEN

IF THIS IS THE CASE.

3. WE ASSUME THAT, BECAUSE OF THE TIME PRESSURE, THE CHINESE WILL REPLY FURTHER TO THE EMBASSY EARLY TOMORROW. IF IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT THEY ARE FINDING SCHEDULED SERVICES DIFFICULT TO

SWALLOW, WE HOPE THE EMBASSY WILL MOVE RAPIDLY TO THE FALL-BACK POSITION, ADDING THAT, BECAUSE OF THE SHORTNESS OF TIME, WE WOULD ASSUME THAT THE FIRST WEEK OF ANY CHARTER FLIGHTS WERE BASED

ON PREVIOUSLY PREPARED LISTS.

CONFIDENTIAL

/ 4. ALTERNATIVELY,

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