TNAG-0863-FCO40-1073-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1979 — Page 197

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4. HE WENT ON TO SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS THE MOST CONSTUCTIVE WAY FORWARD WOULD BE TO AGREE THE TRAFFIC STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1978/79 AND TO PROCEED FROM THAT TO PREDICTIONS OF FUTURE TRAFFIC ON THE BASIS OF AGREED ASSUMPTIONS AS TO THE EFFECT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ICAP AND THE GROWTH RESULTING FROM THE INTRO- DUCTION OF ANY NEW FARE THAT BA AND MAS MIGHT WISH TO PROPOSE

AS WELL AS NATURAL GROWTH.

5. HAMZAH FOR SOME TIME RESISTED THIS APPROACH, CLAIMING THAT WE

WOULD ONLY GET BOGGED DOWN IN STATISTICS. HE SAID HE PREFERRED

TO PROCEED WITH THE POINT IN THE AGREED RECORD OF THE MAY TALKS

TO WHICH THE MALAYSIANS ATTACHED MOST IMPORTANCE NAMELY THE DISCUSSION OF NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR AGREEING AND CONTROLLING CAPACITY,

AFTER A LONG DISCUSSION IN WHICH ROGERS EMPHASISED THE NECESSITY

FOR AGREEING STATISTICS AND ASSUMPTIONS ON WHICH CAPACITY PLANNING

SHOULD BE BASED, HAMZAH OVERCAME WHAT WAS OBVIOUSLY MAS SUSPICIONS AND SOME PROGRESS WAS MADE IN THE AGREEMENT OF ACTUAL STATISTICS FOR BOTH THE TRUNK AND REGIONAL ROUTES FOR 77/78 AND 78/79.

6. IT WAS AGREED TO GO TO DISCUSS THE ASSUMPTIONS TO BE USED

IN ARRIVING AT TRAFFIC PREDICTIONS FOR FUTURE YEARS WHEN THE

TALKS WERE RESUMED ON 6 FEBRUARY.

3

HAWLEY

FILES

MALD

SEAD

HK+ & D SPD

MISS BROWN

MR. MURRAY

[Comms

COPIES SENT TO CAD | DUT

2.

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