TNAG-0863-FCO40-1073-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1979 — Page 202

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AND (B) REGIONAL FLIGHTS WHICH ORIGINATE IN HONG KONG WITH

DESTINATIONS ONLY IN CHINA AND VICE VERSA. THERE COULD THEN BE

EITHER A SPECIFIC REFERENCE IN THE A.S. A TO SEPARATE ARRANGEMENTS

FOR ''REGIONAL FLIGHTS, OR (PROBABLY BETTER) A SIDE LETTER WITH

NO SPECIFIC MENTION IN THE A.S.A.

''

4. REGIONAL FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA WILL BE USED

MOSTLY FOR TOURISM. NEEDS ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE FREQUENTLY AND

OFTEN, GIVEN CHINESE PRACTICE IN SUCH MATTERS, WITH LITTLE WARNING,

THE LAST TIME THE CHINESE WISHED TO RUN AN EXTRA SERVICE ON THE

CANTON ROUTE, IT BECAME CLEAR HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET A

DECISION SUFFICIENTLY QUICKLY WHEN MINOR MATERS HAVE TO BE

REFERRED TO LONDON (MY TELNOS.134, 161 AND 171).

5. WE NEED A SIMPLER AND MORE FLEXIBLE SYSTEM. I SUGGEST THAT, FOLLOWING AGREEMENT AT THE LONDON/PEKING LEVEL ON THE GENERAL

FRAMEWORK OF REGIONAL FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA (INCLUDING PROVISIONS FOR RECIPROCITY), D.O.T SHOULD ISSUE A

PERMIT WHICH WOULD SIMPLY NAME THE CITIES INVOLVED AND STIPULATE,

THAT THE DETAILS OF SERVICES ARE TO BE AGREED WITH AND APPROVED

BY D.C.A HONG KONG. THIS WOULD IN EFFECT BE SIMILAR TO THE SYSTEM

WE OPERATE AT PRESENT IN RELATION TO TAIWAN, ALTHOUGH IN THAT CASE

THE DETAILS ARE HANDLED BETWEEN AIRLINES.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

FED NAM D

HK & GD

MAED

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

MISS BROWN

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

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COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON

J