GR 430
YFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HALK 184/8A
FM SINGAPORE 0784292 FEB 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 81 OF 7 FEBRUARY
AND TO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR, CANBERRA,
PRIORITY.GOVERNO
Tave
HONG KONG, AND BCARFE, MANILA, JAKARTA, VELL MAGTON.19(2
CANBERRA TELEGRAM NO 3 TO KUALA LUMPUR
AIR SERVICES
1. IF ROGERS CAN HOLD TO THE LINE HE HAS SO FAR TAKEN ON ¡CAP WITH THE MALAYSIANS (PARAGRAPH 3 OF KUALA LUMPUR TELEGRAM NO 74 TO YOU) THE REASONS WHICH LED ME IN MY TELEGRAM NO 71 TO URGE A VISIT HERE NEXT WEEK WILL NOT ARISE. AS REPORTED THERE," SIM KEE BOON IS CONTENT THAT VISIT SHOULD BE DEFERRED, AND, WITH THE PRESENT STATE OF PLAY ON THE PROPOSED ASEAN/AUSTRALIA TALKS, I DOUBT WHETHER IT IS OPPORTUNE FOR US TO SEEK TO PURSUE HONEST- BROKERAGE HERE SO SOON.
2. 1 AM OF COURSE AWARE THAT THE EFFECTIVE STOPOVER SURCHARGE HAS BEEN DOLLARS AUSTRALIAN 225 AND NOT DOLLARS AUSTRALIAN 75 AS SINGAPOREANS ASSERT (PARAGRAPH 5 OF CANBERRA TELNO 104) AND HAVE MADE THIS CLEAR TO MY EEC COLLEAGUES: THIS UNDERLIES THE THOUGHT IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF MY TELEGRAM NO 71 THAT SINGAPOREANS. WOULD ARGUE THAT AN OFF-PEAK SURCHARGE OF DOLLARS AUSTRALIAN 346 WAS TOO HIGH, BUT MIGHT SETTLE FOR ON OF DOLLARS AUSTRALIAN 216,
3.
DIRECTOR POLITICAL DIVISION RANG ME YESTERDAY TO DISPUTE
MY ARGUMENT REPORTED IN PARAGRAPH 6 OF MY TELEGRAM NO 77 THAT SIA DID NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO TICKET AUSTRALIA/EUROPE END-TO-END WITHOUT STOP OVER. HE SAID HE HAD CHECKED WITH SIA WHO HAD CONFIRMED THAT THEY EFFECTIVELY DID THIS. I SAID THAT IF THIS WAS SO, THIS WAS WHAT MUCH OF THE TROUBLE WAS ABOUT.
2400
TODAY'S STRAITS. TIMES CARRIES REPORT, ATTRIBUTED TO RADIO AUSTRALIA YESTERDAY, THAT QANTAS HAD OFFERED TO BUY A SET NUMBER OF SEATS ON THAI INTERNATIONAL AND MAS FLIGHTS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND BANGKOK/KUALA LUMPUR AND TO WITHDRAW FROM THESE ROUTES ITSELF. PAPER COMMENTS THAT THIS WILL BE SEEN AS
8
FURTHER EVIDENCE OF AUSTRALIA'S EFFORTS TO SPLIT ASEAN."* 1 ASSUME, HOWEVER, THAT THIS IS ONLY A REPORT ON SUGGESTIONS MADE TO THESE AIRLINES SOME WHILE AGO.
CONFIDENTIAL
/5. DAYAN
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