TNAG-0862-FCO40-1072-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1979 — Page 31

CONFIDENTIAL

HACK 184/

87

ESKBY WELLINGTON 312100Z JAN

FM KUALA LUMPUR 318900Z JAN 79

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 68 OF 31 JANUARY 1979

INFO IMMEDIATE WELLINGTON (FOR ROGERS)

Y

Picton Talen

INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE JAKARTA BANGKOK MANILA CANBERRA GOV

HONG KONG AND BCARFE HONG KONG

MY TEL NO 59: AIR SERVICES

1. GEE CALLED ON HAMZAH MAJID, DGCA, THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TALKS NEXT WEEK. HAMZAH SAID THAT HE

DID NOT WANT TO CONCEAL HIS HAND. WHEN MAS ACQUIRED THE AIRBUSES

THEY WANTED TO PUT THEM ON TO THE HONG KONG ROUTE WITH NO DIMINUTION OF FREQUENCY. THEY WOULD PUT THE SECOND DC10 ON TO THE TRUNK ROUTE AND WERE THEREFORE LOOKING FOR 2 EXTRA FRQUENCIES TO LONDON AND EUROPE. THEY WOULD SELL ALL THEIR 707S.

2. HE ASKED WHAT SUBJECTS WERE GOING TO BE RAISED BY OUR SIDE. GEE SAID THAT HE KNEW THAT ROGERS WISHED TO DISCUSS THE WHOLE OF

THE ASA AND TO TALK ABOUT ICAP. HAMZAH AGREED THAT ICAP WAS

FUNDAMENTAL TO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE BILATERAL.

HE FAVOURED 3RD/4TH FREEDOM REGIME AND SAW BENEFITS FOR MALAYSIA IN

THIS. HE WAS NOT PLEASED AT THE WAY IN WHICH SINGAPORE HAD MADE A POLITICAL ISSUE OUT OF THE QUESTION. SINGAPORE ONLY INVOKED ASEAN

SOLIDARITY WHEN IT SUITED THEM. HE ADDED THAT THEY WOULD BE HAVING

FURTHER TALKS WITH THE SINGAPOREANS FROM 12 14 FEBRUARY.

3. HAMZAH HOPED THAT MOST OF THE GROUNDWORK COULD BE DONE DURING THIS ROUND OF TALKS SO THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE MUCH LEFT TO DISCUSS IN LONDON. IF THERE IS TO BE A SECOND ROUND, LATE APRIL OR EARLY MAY WOULD SUIT THEM BEST.

4. SOCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. MAS WILL GIVE LUNCH ON 5 FEBRUARY AND HAMZAH WILL GIVE A DINNER, WITH WIVES, ON 6 FEBRUARY, GEE SAID THAT ROGERS WOULD GIVE A DINNER, WITH WIVES, ON 7 FEBRUARY,

HUNT

MR BUTLER

FILES

MISS BROWN

MARD

MR MURRAY

SEAD

SPD

HK & GD

WOTY

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

CONFIDENTIAL