TNAG-0867-FCO40-1077-Air-services-between-China--Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 159

CONFIDENTIAL

Hek 184/2

TH

SCR 7/936/49

LIVED IN

- 6 MAR 1979

R C Samuel Esq

Far Eastern Department

Some funlaw gres-

FCO

Megram with to today. J21.3

蠱

27 February, 1979

ITWe just dearly

agreciment

hayley

M

reach

What *

afer 31 March

before and

Mr Quexvni 273

213

Is Williant on. Jus

AIR SERVICES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANTON

2.

R+R

The continuation of the Canton-Hong Kong flights involved another period of cliffhanging confusion, not helped by the breakdown of the FCO communications system.

The existing DOT permit was due to expire on 28 February. On 23 February, Timothy George, acting on the instructions contained in FCO telegram to Peking No. 179 of 20 February, spoke to the Foreign Ministry and said that the DOT was willing to extend the existing permit until 31 March (Peking telegram to the FCO No. 259 of 23 February, not received here until midday on 26 February).

3.

Because of the delay in the arrival of Peking's telegram, I telephoned the Embassy and Timothy told me what he had done, including the fact that certain instructions were to be sent by CAAC to CAAC Canton for the latter to contact our Director of Civil Aviation. He said that he was still trying to clarify precisely what this message involved. Later that day he telephoned to say that CAAC Canton were being instructed to contact Hong Kong about the details of continuing the scheduled service between Canton and Hong Kong (I have yet to see the telegram from Peking reporting this point). All seemed to be set fair for a relatively painless continuation of the flights.

4.

On the same day, however, the NCNA came to see me to say that they had received written instructions from CAAC Canton to the effect that the latter wished to revert to the previous system of charter flights. NCNA explained that they considered these flights to be a local matter and not connected with the discussions between Peking and London on an ASA. They were very popular and it would cause great distress if the flights were ended. I told the NCNA that reverting to regular charter flights would not solve the problem. For charter flights which

CONFIDENTIAL

/contd.....

سا

well

3/in