TNAG-0868-FCO40-1078-Air-services-between-China--Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 76

CONFIDENTIAL

4. THE WAY THIS PROPOSITION WAS PUT TO YOU AND TO ME IS

OBVIOUSLY UNSATISFACTORY AND WE MUST AVOID A REPETITION, WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT IN FUTURE WE FOLLOW THE WELL ESTABLISHED PROCEDURE THAT HQBF DEAL DIRECT WITH MOD OVER SUPPLIES ETC.

IF QUESTIONS OF FINANCE ARISE THEN EITHER MOD SHOULD RAISE THESE WITH HQBF WHO WOULD PUT THEM TO US OR IF THEY ARE SUFFICIENTLY IMPORTANT MOD WOULD PUT THEM YOU IN TIME FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE RAISED WITH US BY TELEGRAM WITH SUFFICIENT ADVANCE NOTICE FOR CONSULTATION TO TAKE PLACE.

5. IN THIS CASE WE OBVIOUSLY DID NOT NEET TO GIVE AN IMMEDIATE DECISION NOR IN RETROSPECT DID THEY NEED TO BE

AIRFREIGHTED IN A CIVIL AIRCRAFT. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES 1

SUGGEST :-

(A) WE RECONSIDER WHETHER THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD PAY THE AIRFREIGHT COSTS:

(B) YOU CHECK WHY MOD FELT IT NECESSARY TO SEEK AN IMMEDIATE MEDIATE

DECISION WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING THE POSITION WITH HQBF.

1 UNDERSTAND THAT HAD THEY DONE SO THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN

ADVISED THAT IMMEDIATE AIRFREIGHTING ON 13TH JUNE WAS

NOT REQUIRED.

CATER

FILES

HK VG D DEF. D FIN:D

MR CORTAZZI

HR MURRAY

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CONFIDENTIAL