TNAG-0862-FCO40-1072-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1979 — Page 91

CONFIDENTIAL

150

CONFIDENTIAL

· FM BANGKOK 220910Z JAN 79

.

TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA

TEL NO 1 OF 22/1/79

55

HKK184/!

OFFICEN

PA

PA

भ्या

यात

ای پایز

AND TO IMMEDIATE FCO

INFO SINGAPORE, WELLINGTON

KUALA LUMPUR

INDEX

HONG KONG(FOR GOVERNOR AND BCARFE)

No

FCO TEL N015 (NOT TO ALL)

FOR ROGERS:

१४

AIR SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS

1.DR CHITTI, DEPUTY DGCA, HAS INDICATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ROGERS FOR AN INFORMAL TALK, NOT FOR SUBSTANTIVE NEGOTIATIONS. A VISIT OF ABOUT ONE AND HALF DAYS SHOULD THEREFORE BE

SUFFICIENT.

2.CHITTI SAID TODAY THAT THE THAI RESPONSE TO THE ICAP

SCHEME WAS NO LONGER IN HIS HANDS.

THE MATTER WAS BEING TREATED AS AN ASEAN ONE AND WAS THEREFORE BEING HANDLED BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFIARS

HE WAS UNABLE TO SAY WHETHER THE SUBJECT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED BY

THE ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS ON 12-13 JANUARY.

COUL

3.THIS COULD MEAN THAT THE THAIS ARE MOVING AWAY FROM A

POLICY BASED SOLELY ON AVIATION CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH WOULD NOT GO VERY FAR IN BACKING UP SINGAPORE, TO ONE BASED ON BROADER CONSIDERATIONS OF ASEAN SOLIDARITY, WHICH COULD CAUSE THEM TO TAKE A STRONGER LINE.

TRIPP

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

FILE S

COFIES TO

MAED

MR ROGERS C/AIR DOT

SEAD

SPD

HK & GD

MR BUTLER MISS BROWN MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL