TNAG-0866-FCO40-1076-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1979 — Page 32

RESTRICTED

GR 180

RESTRICTED

HEKISH

RECEIVED KA #591SPY NY, 51

4 DEC 1979

FM FCO 031735Z DEC 79

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INDEX

PA

Action T

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1008 OF 3 DECEMBER

AND TO SINGAPORE.

516

FOR SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES FROM ROBERTS.

YOUR TELNO 1695: UK/SINGAPORE AIR SERVICES.

see 528

1. MY COMMITMENTS FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WHICH INVOLVE THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND VARIOUS EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, ARE SUCH THAT IF I DID NOT SEE THE SINGAPOREANS BEFORE CHRISTMAS I WOULD

HAVE TO PUT THEM OFF UNTIL AFTER THE ICAO SPECIAL AIR TRANSPORT

CONFERENCE FINISHES ON 27 FEBRUARY. NOTWITHSTANDING THE VERY CONSIDERABLE INCONVENIENCE TO HONG KONG, WHICH I FULLY RECOGNISE, I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT I SHOULD AGREE TO TALKS WITH THE SINGAPOREANS

BETWEEN 18 AND 21 DECEMBER. WE ARE INFORMING THE SINGAPORE HIGH

COMMISSION IN LONDON ACCORDINGLY.

2. I THINK IT POSSIBLE THAT THE PRESSURES ON KEEP'S TIME WILL NOT

PROVE IN PRACTICE AS BAD AS YOU FEAR. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE

DISCUSSIONS WITH US ON THE GULF AND SRI LANKA WILL REQUIRE MORE THAN HALF A DAY AT MOST, AND AS INDICATED IN OUR TELNO 997, WE WILL AIM TO ARRANGE DISCUSSION ON THE REGIONAL ROUTES AT TIMES

CONVENIENT TO KEEP,

!

CARRINGTON

FILES

MAED

SEAD

HK & GD

MISS BROWN

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

COPIES TO

MR C W ROBERTS

CAIR/DOT

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