TNAG-0862-FCO40-1072-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1979 — Page 55

650

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CKBY 270900Z

FM CANBERRA

270700Z

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 74 OF 27 JANUARY

ARK 184/1

INFO IMMEDIATE (ALL DESKSYS 2702002) SINGAPOR MA

MANILA

BANGKOK JAKARTA KUALA LUMPUR HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND

ECARFE)

INFO ROUTINE WELLINGTON

.MIPT: UK/AUSTRALIA AIR SERVICES

FOLLOWING IS TEXT.

(76

CIVIL AVIATION DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN AUSTRALIAN AND BRITISH OFFICIALS

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

OF

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL INTRODUCTION OF LOWER FARES ON THE ROUTE

BETWEEN EUSTRALIA AND THE UK, DELEGATIONS FROM THE TWO COUNTRIES MET IN CANBERRA THIS WEEK TO CARRY ASTEP FURTHER THEIR EXAMINATION

OF THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS AS THEY AFFECT BOTH

THE KANGAROO ROUTE AND THE ROUTES BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND HONG KONG

STOPOVERS

· THE DELEGATIONS SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME GIVING FURTHER EXAMINATION TO POSSIBLE WAYS OF MEETING THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY THE ASEAN

COUNTRIES THAT THE NEW FARES ARRANGEMENTS ON THE KANGAROO ROUTE

MAY HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THEIR TOURISM. THEY WISHED TO ENABLE

THOSE PASSENGERS WHO DESIRE TO MAKE AN INTERMEDIATE STOP IN

ASIA TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DO SO AT REASONABLE COST, BUT AT THE

SAME TIME TO AVOID UNDERMINING THE VERY FINELY BALANCED ECONOMIES

OF THE NEW APEX FARES.

IN THE LIGHT OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS THEY DEVELOPED VARIOUS IDEAS

REGARDING POSSIBLE STOPOVER FARES WHICH, TOGETHER WITH THE INTRO- DUCTION OF LOWER FARES BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE ASIAM REGION, WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM. THE AIRLINES OF THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED WOULD STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CARRY STOP- OVER TRAFFIC. THE DELEGATIONS HOPED THAT THESE IDEAS WOULD SERVE

AS A BASIS FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED.

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HONG KONG