TNAG-0781-FCO40-985-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 87

GR 445

CONFIDENTIAL

ONFIDENTIAL

FM BCARFE HONG KONG 280801Z NOV 78

TO IMMEDIATE D.O.T

TELNO. ALLOT 28 OF 28 NOVEMBER

AND TO IMMEDIATE: BANGKOK, BRUNEI.

YOUR TELNO.ALLOT 8.

-N.T.

See 693

PA

HKK 184/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY (10. 51 2 8 NOV 1973

DESK OFAC INDEX

PA

674

RE ERY

*ction Ten

Non as

1. 1 SUGGEST TALKS SHOULD BEGIN ON TUESDAY 16 JANUARY 1979 WHICH

WILL GIVE MONDAY FOR ANY NECESSARY DELEGATION BRIEFING MEETINGS. THIS DATE ACCORDS WITH BRUNEI WISHES AS EXPRESSED TO ME IN OCTOBER AND ALSO SUITS THE THAIS (BANGKOK'S ALLOT 8 TO LONDON REFERS).

2. I AM NOT TOO HAPPY WITH SUGGESTION OF MEETING IN BRUNEI BECAUSE I BELIEVE HIGH COMMISSION LACKS CONFERENCE FACILITIES (AND I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO MEET EITHER IN U.K OR THAT GOVERNMENT ROOMS) WHILE THERE COULD BE DIFFICULTIES OVER COMMUNICATION FACILITIES AND SECRETARIAL ASSISTANCE. FURTHER, WHILE I DO NOT KNOW WHAT OFFICIAL ENTERTAINMENT IS PLANNED, FACILITIES IN BRUNEI ARE LIMITED ! THUS THINK IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE IF, AS ENVISAGED DURING MY DISCUSSIONS WITH BRUNE! AUTHORITIES, TALKS COULD TAKE PLACE IN

BANGKOK.

3. IF SUGGESTION FOR MEETING IN BRUNEI REFLECTS STRONG PERSONAL

PREFERENCES OF THAI TEAM (AND PERHAPS EMBASSY BANGKOK COULD CHECK ON THIS POINT) IT COULD BE PRUDENT TO COMPLY SINCE BRUNE! HAS VIRTUALLY NO NEGOTIATING LEVERAGE. BOTH I AND THE THAIS COULD PEACH BRUNEI ANY DAY OVER SINGAPORE. HOWEVER, IT WOULD THEN BE NECESSARY FOR HIGH COMMISSION BRUNEI TO ADVISE WHETHER DIFFICULTIES

MY OWN FORESEEN IN PARAGRAPH 2 ABOVE CAN BE LOCALLY OVERCOME. FEELING REMAINS THAT IT WOULD BE STRONGLY PREFERABLE TO MEET IN BANGKOK AND I WOULD HOPE EMBASSY BANGKOK MIGHT PERSUADE THAI TEAM

OF PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES WITHOUT IN ANY WAY ALIENATING THEM.

4. THE CURRENTLY ENVISAGED ROUTE SCHEDULE (AN EXCHANGE OF BRUNEI- SINGAPORE-BANGKOK WITH OR WITHOUT BLINDED 5TH FREEDOM SECTORS) SEEPS

SIMPLE, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF BRUNEI COULD QUICKLY CLARIFY WHETHER OR NOT THEY WISH US ALSO TO SEEK KATHMANDU BEYOND BANGKOK AND WHAT THEY WOULD CONCEDE IN RETURN. (PARAGRAPH 2 (A) OF MY LETTER DATED 27 OCTOBER 1978.TO 0.0.T REFERENCE CA/27/1 REFERS).

15.50 FAR

CONFIDENTIAL