CONFIDENTIAL
GR 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 031743Z MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 241 OF 3 MAY
INFO HONG KONG (GOVERNOR AND BCARFE)
HKK.184/13/1
4 MAY 1979
INDEX
f
PA
No
54.8 J See
YOUR TELNO 394: UK/PRC AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT.
1. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE CHINESE ARE MAKING ACCEPTANCE OF OUR PROPOSALS FOR THE NEGOTIATING TEAM'S ARRIVAL CONTINGENT UPON THEIR RECEIPT AND REVIEW OF OUR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
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2. AS YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE DESCRIBED OUR CHANGES TO THE TEXT NEGOTIATED SIX YEARS AGO AS 'TECHNICAL THIS HAS BEEN MERELY TO DISTINGUISH THEM FROM THE 'POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED" DECLARATION REGARDING TAIWAN. WE ARE LOOKING FOR CHANGES IN THE SUBSTANCE. IN PARTICULAR, WE WISH TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND POINTS IN THE PRC WHICH WERE POLITICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY UNFEASIBLE IN 1973 BUT IN WHICH THE CHINESE NO LESS THAN OURSELVES HAVE NOW
DEMONSTRATED AN INTEREST.
3. WE HAD INTENDED NOT TO DISCLOSE OUR HAND ON THE CHANGES OF SUBSTANCE WE ARE SEEKING IN ADVANCE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WE ACCEPT THAT THIS HAS ALREADY LARGELY HAPPENED AND AGREE THAT IN VIEW OF THE CHINESE ATTITUDES, WE SHOULD NOW LET THEM HAVE A DRAFT TEXT INCLUDING ALL THE POINTS WE ARE AFTER, TO SERVE AS A BASIS FOR
NEGOTIATION.
4. WE HAVE THEREFORE REVIEWED THE TEXT IN DETAIL AND AMENDMENTS ARE CONTAINED IN MY FIRST IFT, TOGETHER WITH A SHORT BRIEF TO CLARIFY THE AMENDMENTS. PLEASE INCORPORATE THE AMENDMENTS INTO A COMPLETE REVISED TEXT WHICH YOU SHOULD HAND TO THE CHINESE AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
5. MY SECOND IFT CONTAINS THE TEXT OF A SPEAKING NOTE WHICH YOU SHOULD USE IN HANDING OVER THE TEXT AND WHICH YOU MAY AT YOUR
DISCRETION LEAVE WITH THEM.
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6. WE REGRET WE WERE UNABLE TO SEND YOU THE TEXT OF THE ASA BY BAG ON 27 APRIL AS OUR CONSIDERATION OF THE ISSUES TOOK LONGER THAN
WE EXPECTED.
17.
7. WE
CONFIDENTIAL
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