348
GPS 330
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
(325
FM KUALA LUMPUR 120500Z JULY 79
TO FLASH FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 254 OF 12 JULY
HECK.
RELA 184/
12 JUL
IN
по
27.7
j
AND TO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE BANGKOK MANILA JAKARTA GOV HONG KONG
BCARFE HONG KONG CANBERRA WELLINGTON
OUR TELNO 252 : AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT
1. WHEN COUNSELLOR CALLED ON MANICKAVASAGAM THIS MORNING IT BECAME CLEAR THAT MALAYSIAN POSITION HAD SOFTENED. WHILE REITERATING THE POINTS MADE BY TALALLA IN PARAGRAPH 2 (A) TO (C) OF OUR TUR MANICKAVASAGAM SAID THAT HE WOULD BE LEAVING FOR
LONDON AS SCHEDULED ON 15 JULY AND WOULD BE CONTENT IF HE COULD
HAVE AN HOUR WITH MR NOTT AS ALREADY SUGGESTED AT 09.30 ON 17 JULY TO EXPLAIN THE MALAYSIAN POSITION. HE WOULD BE QUITE CONTENT FOR MR TEBBIT TO BE PRESENT. THE POINT WAS THAT HE WISHED TO EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND TO MALAYSIA'S AIR SERVICES PROBLEMS AND REACH A CONSENSUS VIEW WHICH BOTH GOVERNMENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO TRANSMIT TO THEIR OWN AIRLINES, IF DISCUSSIONS PROVED SUCCESSFUL HE FORESAW ANOTHER ROUND CF TALKS IN KUALA LUMPUEUTO QUOTE CLINCH THE DEAL UNQUOTE IN AUGUST. IF CONVENIENT HE WOULD ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO SEE MR NOTT FOR FOLLOW UP DISCUSSIONS ON THE 18 OR 19 JULY.
2. ON THE QUESTION OF THE EXTENSION OF CONCORDE OVERFLIGHTS HE EMPHASISED THAT THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT IN ANY WAY USE THIS AS A LEVER IN CONNECTION WITH AIR SERVICES TALKS. HE HOPED THAT HMG WOULD NOT DO THE REVERSE, HE SOUGHT OUR HELP IN ENABLING THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEFEND ITS POSITION BEFORE MALAYSIAN PUBLIC OPINION. AS TO MODALITIES HE SAID THAT
HE WOULD PROBABLY MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE EXTENSION OF CONCORDE
CONFIDENTIAL
/ OVERFLIGHTS
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