TNAG-0867-FCO40-1077-Air-services-between-China--Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 200A

CONFIDENTIAL

DESK BY 050100Z (PEKING AND HONG KONG)

FM F C O 042008Z MAY 79

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 249 OF 4 MAY 79

76

Hkk18412.

AND TO HONG KONG

по

815.5 See From Fibt

BO

73

MY TELS NO 242 AND 243: UK/PRC AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT.'

1. M.I.F.T. CONTAINS CORRECTIONS TO MY TELNO 242. PLEASE INCORPORATE THEM, IF POSSIBLE BEFORE HANDING TEXT OVER TO THE

CHINESE.

2. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN THAT IN DEALING WITH REGIONAL ROUTE IN THE TEXT IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO AVOID DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN HONG KONG ON THE ONE HAND AND POINTS IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE OTHER. WE RECOGNISE THAT CHINESE MAY HAVE DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTY OVER THIS, BUT COULD SEE NO WAY OF AVOIDING IT. LINE SUGGESTED YOU TAKE IN HANDING OVER TEXT IS DESIGNED TO AVOID GIVING OFFENCE. WE HOPE WE HAVE NOT UNDERESTIMATED CHINESE SENSITIVITIES HERE, OR ALLOWED WORDING TO CREEP IN WHICH COULD CAUSE DIFFICULTY FOR HONG KONG. WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED DRAFTING ON MORE DIFFICULT POINTS TO BE EXCHANGED INFORMALLY AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, BUT CHINESE INSISTENCE ON TEXT IN ADVANCE APPEARED TO PRECLUDE THIS.

3. FOR HONG KONG. DEFINITION OF TERRITORY IN ARTICLE I(D) (PARA 3 OF FIRST T.U.R.) IS INTENDED TO HELP GET ROUND THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT PREJUDICING HONG KONG'S INTERESTS..

SOSFCA

FILES

MAED FED. HKISQ LEGAL ADY: MISS BROWN MR MURRA

HURRAY.

[COPIED TOCAD [DOT]

CONFIDENTIAL