CONFIDENTIAL
5. PLEASE SEE COMMENT IN MIFT.
6
AS REGARDS THE HEATHROW/GATWICK QUESTION ROGERS REVERTED TO
THE SUGGESTION THAT A PROVISO SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE CU WHICH
WOULD PREVENT THE INAUGURATION OF SERVICES UNTIL ANY DIFFERENCE OF OPINION OVER THIS ISSUE HAD BE RESOLVED (PARA 4 OF MY TELNO. 645). THIS TIME LU WAS MORE RECEPTIVE TO THIS CONCEPT. HE THOUGHT THAT A FORMULA ON THE LINES THAT SERVICES WOULD START EITHER ON 1 APRIL 1980 OR ON THE DATE WHEN PEKING AIRPORT IS READY FOR OPERATIONS BY WIDE BODIED AIRCRAFT, OR ON THE DATE WHEN THE TWO SIDES JOINTLY DECIDE WHICH LONDON AIRPORT IS TO BE USED BY CAAC (WHICHEVER OF THESE THREE IS THE LATEST) MIGHT WELL BE ACCEPTABLE ON THE CHINESE SIDE. THIS WAS IN THE HOPE AND EXPECT-
ATION THAT BOTH THE WORK ON PEKING AIRPORT AND THE DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT THE AIRPORT TO BE USED BY CAAC AT LONDON WOULD HAVE BEEN
CONCLUDED IN ADVANCE OF 1 APRIL 1980 SO THAT THE SERVICES COULD
BEGIN ON THE TARGET DATE AS PLANNED. IN THE ABSENCE OF COMMENT
ON MY TELNO.645, ROGERS REITERATED THAT THIS WAS ENTIRELY HIS
OWN SUGGESTION AND THAT HE WOULD NEED TO SEEK YOUR AUTHORITY.
7. IN OUR VIEW THIS IS THE BEST WAY THAT CAN BE FOUND OF SETTING
THE AIRPORT PROBLEM ON ONE SIDE FOR THE TIME BEING. WE HOPE YOU
WILL THEREFORE AGREE THAT IF THE CHINESE WILL FALL IN WITH THIS PROPOSAL WE MAY SETTLE ON THAT BASIS.
8.
DISCUSSION OF THE OTHER ITEMS HAS NOW BEEN PRACTICALLY
COMPLETED. THE CONCLUSION OF A DEAL ON THE LINES OF OPTION A
OF MY TELNO.552 THEREFORE AWAITS ONLY THE RESOLUTION OF THE TWO
ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE MENTION ABOVE AND SOME RELATIVELY MINOR
WORK ON THE TEXTS.
GEORGE
FILES
MAED
FED
HK & GD NEWS D
[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]
MR CORTAZZI MISS BROWN MR MURRAY
2
.CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.