TNAG-0781-FCO40-985-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 82

GR 225.

CONFIDENTIAL

COFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 281030Z

FM HONG KONG 280955Z NOV 78

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELNO.1368 OF 28 NOVEMBER,

INFO IMMEDIATE: PEKING,

ра

HKK 184/1

677

7.00. 51

RECEIVED IN RUI

2 9 NOV 1978

DESK OF

INDEX

ROUTINE : HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.NO

669

PEKING TELNO.77 TO HONG KONG : FLIGHTS BETWEEN CANTON

AND HONG KONG.

RY

ΡΑ

Action Ten

CLE

1. DCA HAS RECEIVED A TELEX FROM CAAC SAYING THAT THE EMBASSY

IN PEKING HAVE INFORMED THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

THAT CAAC HAS BEEN PERMITTED TO CONTINUE ITS CHARTER (SIC) OPERATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANTON FOR THREE MONTHS BEGINNING 1 DECEMBER''. THEY THEN GIVE THE TIMING OF THEIR

PROPOSED FLIGHTS.

2. WE ASSUME THAT PEKING WILL NOW WISH TO CLARIFY WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTRY PRECISELY WHAT WAS SAID ON 26 NOVEMBER AND, IF THIS MESSAGE MEANS THAT THE CHINESE ARE DETERMINED TO STICK

TO CHARTERED SERVICES (RATHER THAN THAT THEY HAVE MERELY MISUNDERSTOOD), TO MAKE THE POINTS IN PARA.3 OF F.C.O TEL NO.739

TO PEKING.

"

23

3. THE LOCAL COMMUNIST PAPER, HSIN WAN PAO, HAS ALREADY PUBLISHED A STORY BASED ON 'RELIABLE SOURCES'' SAYING THAT CHARTER'' FLIGHTS ARE TO CONTINUE AND THAT TICKETS ARE TO BE SOLD FROM TODAY. DCA IS UNDER PRESSURE, PARTICULARLY FROM THE COMMUNIST PRESS AND CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE, TO CONFIRM THAT THIS IS SC. PRESENT HE IS MAKING NO COMMENT. THE SITUATION IS HOWEVER EMBARRASSING SINCE, IF THE CONTINUED FLIGHTS ARE TO BE CHARTERS,

DCA WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING THE PERMIT FOR THEIR OPERATION.

AT

MACLEHOSE

FILES

FED

MAED

HK & GD

IPD

OID

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

NEWS D

LEGAL ADVISERS (MR DARWIN)

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

MISS BROWN

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE

6 GRAFTON STREET, W.1.